AN: Okay, I'm a bit later with this chapter than expected, but again I can't really promise punctual updates until I'm completely done with my treatment.

The Moment of Truth

–What the hell? –Elena whispered in shock. –How do we look exactly alike? –

Katerina almost dropped a dish in awe, while the two brothers looked back and forth between them. None of the four occupants of the room dared to move, let alone make a noise.

–Holy crap, they're identical… – Stefan muttered under his breath, earning himself a glare from the rest.

Katerina shook her head, almost in tears. –I… I don't know… – she stammered confusedly.

–She's Katerina, my wife. – Damon passed an arm around her shoulders in a protective manner. –And I'm Stefan's brother. Damon. – He added, trying to smile.

–And how does she… –Elena started to say something, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise when the second part of Damon's sentence reached her brain.

–You have a brother? – She shrieked, turning to look at Stefan, who flinched in surprise.

Damon tightened his grip on Katerina, more upset by the fact that Stefan wouldn't even mention him than he'd like to admit. Stefan looked between the three of them uncomfortably.

–We're not exactly close… –he admitted apologetically.

Elena leaned her wrists on the countertop, taking deep breaths as she tried to process the situation.

–You and I… – she turned to take a better look at still speechless Katerina, supporting her lower back on the countertop. –…I've never seen a resemblance quite like this before. But how can that be possible? – She wondered rhetorically.

–No idea. – Katerina shrugged numbly, holding on to Damon for support. –I never knew you existed until this morning. He confused me for you. – She explained, motioning to Stefan.

–I… I don't think I can deal with this now. –Elena ran her hands through her long hair, on the verge of tears. –I'm sorry; I know none of this is your fault, but I really can't. –She apologized, wrapping her arms around her torso to stop herself from trembling.

–Go. – Damon nodded with understanding. Elena nodded her thanks and left through the same door she used when she came.

Katerina buried her face in the crook of Damon's neck in an effort to calm herself down. He held her tightly, running a hand over her hair.

–Hey? – Damon called, pulling apart from her.

–Look at me. –He demanded.

Katerina looked up. –We're going to make some sense out of this, I promise. – He declared firmly. –I have no idea how, but we'll find our way around this. You and I. Okay? – Damon asked, lovingly cupping her face.

Katerina nodded and pulled him back into a hug.

–Stefan! – She yelled over Damon's shoulder. –Don't think I didn't see you. – She warned.

Damon turned around to the sight of his half-stoned brother with his hand on the same doorknob that Elena had used moments earlier. He opened his mouth to yell, but he started laughing before any words came out, pressing his face to the wall. Powerless, Katerina followed suit. Stefan, too, in his mildly stoned state, abandoned the doorknob and flopped to the floor in a rush of laughter.

Katerina was the first to collect herself. –Okay, this is what we're going to do right now. – She spoke calmly, gaining the attention of the two remaining occupants of the room.

–You – She turned to Stefan –You are going to finish cleaning this up. – She waved her hand in the direction of left over dishes and the groceries they didn't use.

–Why me? – Stefan whined lazily.

Katerina put her hands on her hips. –Do you really want me to start counting reasons? –She taunted. Stefan shrugged in defeat and got down to work.

–And you're coming with me. –She reached her hand to Damon.

Damon followed her into the living room. –How is it that he always listens to you? – He asked.

–It's you he's after, not me. – Katerina shrugged. –I'm a stranger; he couldn't care less what I think. –

Damon nodded. –I know… I guess. –He ran his hands through his hair, pulling hard on it. –It's just… aaargh! – He groaned in frustration, taking two glasses and a bottle of bourbon from the liquor cabinet.

Katerina raised her eyebrows, eyeing her husband curiously.

–What? – He asked, noticing the looks she was giving him.

Katerina shrugged. –Um… Early much? – She smiled.

–So you don't want it? –Damon took an exaggerated sip from one of the glasses and waved the other tentatively in front of Katerina's face. Katerina rolled her eyes and accepted the glass from his hand, downing it in one gulp. She flinched instantly, making a disgusted face. –That's… intense. –She shook her shoulders. –Another please! -She extended her arm.

Damon laughed, refilling both of their glasses.

–Ugh. I fail to see how this makes us any better than him. –Katerina took another sip, waving her hand in general direction of the kitchen, where Stefan was cleaning up.

–It's simple, Kit-Kat. – Damon winked. –We won't get drunk, because we're done here. – He answered smugly, getting up to put the bottle back.

In the meanwhile, Elena sat in her car, far enough away from her house to avoid being noticed from the inside. She squeezed the wheel periodically with trembling hands, trying to stop her tears from flowing as she tried to make sense of the sight she'd just witnessed and the overwhelming emotions it produced in her. She alternated between sadness of what could have been, uncertainty of what she was going to do about it and betrayal of not having been told entire truth.

Deciding she had the right to demand some answers, she parked in front of the house and stormed inside like a fury, fearful of losing her determination if she stopped for just a second.

–Elena? You're back already? –her aunt Jenna wondered from the living room.

–Hey, are you okay? –Jenna asked, noticing her niece's distressed state. –Did you and Stefan fight? –She touched Elena's arm.

Elena jerked back from her aunt's touch. –Why I was never told I had a twin sister and why didn't they take both of us from that woman? –She asked with determination, leaving Jenna with a shocked expression on her face.

–I want to find her. – Katerina said firmly, leaning forwards in thought. –Now even more… I just need to understand. –She said, tears filling her eyes.

–I know. –Damon nodded, rubbing supportive circles on her back. –We could start from the town archive or the police station… –He suggested. –That should at the very least tell us whether she had since moved states. –

They were interrupted by the ringing of Damon's phone. He looked the screen and silenced it, sighing heavily.

Katerina looked at him questioningly.

–Elijah. –He said. –When I was telling him what happened, I mentioned that I'll be back before weekend. He's probably wondering why I'm not, or something. Probably should have picked it up, but I somehow don't feel like involving real life in this mess. –

Stefan peeked from the kitchen doorframe. –What mess? I just cleaned up the mess. – He said.

Katerina stifled a laugh, just before she was interrupted by the chime of the doorbell.

–I'll get it. –She offered, using Damon's shoulder as leverage to stand up.

–But Elena, are you sure? There are many people who look alike. –Jenna asked.

Elena almost groaned in frustration. –We don't look alike. –She sighed. –Jenna, this girl, if you saw her, you would believe it's me. We're there's-no-way-we're-not-related identical.

–Look, Elena, you already know the story, nothing has ever been kept from you. –Jenna promised for the umpteenth time that hour. –Your mother, she just came here and dumped you. That's it. Only you. One baby. If there was another one, she never mentioned it… –

–All right! – Elena cut in.

–All right, I believe you. But I need… I need to speak with John. I just need answers. Any answers. –She got up from the couch and dragged herself up the stairs, to her room.

–I'm sorry, I didn't want to be intrusive with this, but I really need to speak to someone about the funeral. Damon?

– Mr. Davis, one of the late Giuseppe Salvatore's lawyers, stood in the middle of the living room, looking uncomfortable.

–What is there to speak about? –Damon snapped, sounding harsher than he intended to. –Whatever happened to just burying people? – He said tiredly.

Stefan shook his head. –I can't believe you. – He muttered bitterly

Mr. Davis sighed. –I meant, are there any relatives or friends your father would want there, is there anything else he would want… –he explained.

Damon shrugged. –How should I know? He kicked me out five years ago. –He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. –Look, I honestly don't care. Just do whatever you see fit, mail me the check and until then, leave me the hell alone. – He demanded.

Stefan stormed off into Giuseppe's study, making a spectacle of slamming the door shut. Noticing his defeat, Mr. Davis quietly excused himself and left the room.

Once they were alone, Katerina marched over to Damon, who had already sunk back into the couch. –So… care to enlighten me, what the hell was that? –Katerina asked, holding her hands on her hips.

Damon frowned. –What? –He whispered, containing his tears.

–You know what! –Katerina scolded. –Get over yourself! You pretending this isn't happening won't make it go away. –

–I'm not… –

–Yes you are! You take on Stefan's mess, you take on my mess, all while pretending that your own doesn't exist, and he's the one paying the price. The only reason he does what he's been doing lately is to make you feel. All he wants from you is to admit that something is happening, and you pull that crap?

–You think it's easy for me, Kat? This was over, already. I've already been through this once and now... I can't make this right anymore. – Damon said helplessly, tears rolling down his face.

Katerina cupped his face, wiping the tears with her thumbs. –I know. But it was over for you, D. For him, it's only just begun, and that's something you can make right. –She pulled him into a tight hug.

–You're amazing, you know? –Damon whispered into her shoulder.

Katerina pulled away, winking at him. –I know. Now go apologize to him. –She kissed his cheek and pushed him towards the study.

Elena took a deep breath, waiting for the call to connect

–Hello? – A smooth voice answered from the other side of the line.

–John? It's me, Elena. –She said nervously. –I… um… there's something I need to ask you. –

Damon nervously knocked on the door of his father's study, almost pressing his face to it in an effort to hear an answer. –Stefan? I'm really sorry for earlier. –He said into the door. –C'mon, open the door, please. We need to talk. –

Another AN: So, how you liked it? A little slow? How did you like Kat scolding Damon? Do let me know, it's only a button click away. :)