11

Katherine honestly didn't know how she made it through that week, everything seemed like a complete blur of phone calls, appointments, and repeating the same story over and over again. Caroline had been a great help in planning the funeral and for once in their entire friendship didn't question Katherine as much as she usually would have.

Katherine had forced Stefan to get in touch with Damon, though she doubted that Damon would should up even for his own daughter's funeral.

On the day of the funeral, Caroline wearing a black dress and a little jacket open the door of Katherine's townhouse, Marie purred besides her leg desperate for affection since Katherine had been ignoring her all week.

Caroline gave the kitty a small smile as she scratched her behind the ear. "Hey, kitty." She glance back at the stairway where Katherine was braiding her curly hair. "Hey, Kat you ready?"

She nodded as she grabbed her purse. "Yes, we should probably get to the church before everyone else arrives." She grimaced. "Thanks so much for coming with me, Care."

"Anytime." Caroline gave her friend's shoulder a squeeze. "What are friends for?"

Katherine was just locking the door of her house when her cell phone started ringing, the screen said Eloise.

Katherine hanged up without answering.

Caroline waited for a moment before nervously asking, "Shouldn't you answer?"

"Why bother?" she grumbled, trying her best not to snap at Caroline. Even though Caroline hadn't said anything she had seen the blond throwing her concerned looks all week and all though Katherine appreciate it, it was starting to get annoying. "I don't want to listen to anything that she has to say."

"Katherine," Caroline groaned as they got into a yellow taxicab. "St. Mary's Cathedral, please-it was an accident. A horrible, terrible accident that could have happened to anyone. The bastard is in jail now, it wasn't Eloise's fault. She feels guilty, Katherine." She sighed. "She's your grandmother."

"I know she is, Care." Katherine leaned against the backseat. "But it's just not that easy, she was supposed to care for Emma and-"she shook her head. "I really don't want to think about it. I just need time, ok?"

Caroline nodded, deciding not to push the subject as the taxi car parked in front of the church. "All right, was Elijah coming?"

She shrugged. "He said he would be here, but he was working late last night. So I told him it was ok, if he couldn't come." Caroline stared at her. "He send me a text last night, I was merely responding."

The church was filled with about thirty people since most of Emma's family members were dead and Stefan and Damon's parents were also dead. The church was mostly filled Emma's classmates and teacher from school and Emma's friends and parents from her ballet class.

Stefan and Rebekah were waiting for them in the first pew and Stefan gave her a small nod in greeting and Katherine returned it.

"My brother came as well," Rebekah informed her. "He's parking his car, he will be here soon."

"Thank you for coming," Katherine told her. "Especially on such short notice."

Rebekah nodded as she squeezed Stefan's hand. Stefan looked exhausted and Katherine guessed it was because he had worked all week and she guessed tailing after Damon wasn't an easy task.

Eloise came in shuffling wearing a black dress and holding a purse. She nodded at Katherine once, but didn't sit with them and instead choose to settle in on the pew next to her. The guilt settled in Katherine's stomach.

"Good afternoon," Elijah politely greeted them as he came and joined them, he relaxed when he saw that the service hadn't started yet. He glance at Katherine. "How are you feeling?"

She nodded, tired of the question. "Better."

They didn't speak another word until the pastor started the ceremony. It was short and bittersweet and all though the pastor was very kind and seemed to want to reassure them that Emma was a little angel in Heaven now, and that everything happened for a reason a knot seemed to settle in Katherine's stomach.

Suddenly, the church felt stuffy and Emma's ashes stored in a dark blue jar with golden flowers and leaves stood on top of the table in the middle of the aisle was making her nauseous. She really just wanted to get the hell out of here. Things didn't get any better when she heard Caroline besides her whispering. "Oh, no."

Katherine turned to her side slightly and then she saw him. Damon Salvatore. Emma's father and the man her twin sister, Elena had killed herself for.

He was standing in the back of the church his eyes facing the pastor and dressed in a black suit and for once in his life he looked sober. Katherine knew why his sister had fallen for him, despite his alcohol and drug problems, he was handsome like his brother Stefan. He had dark hair that curled at the tips and big, haunting blue eyes.

What was he doing here? Yes, she knew that Stefan would have told him, but she hadn't thought that she would actually show up. She felt her irritation growing and Elijah next to her notice her stiffing. "Are you all right?" he murmured.

She nodded. "I'm fine."

The ceremony ended and the people started exiting the church, the few people that actually knew Katherine offered their condolences, but most of them went to talk to Eloise.

Katherine stiffened when she saw Damon approach her, she looked towards Caroline or Stefan for support. But Caroline was talking with Emma's first grade teacher, Mrs. Pebbles and Stefan and Rebekah were talking quietly in a corner.

Katherine refused to put on any facial expression as Damon approached her, he was grimacing. "Stefan called me." He said as a form of greeting, even he sounded surprise which wasn't surprising since Stefan and Damon had had problems since high school.

"I'm surprise you came," Katherine said bluntly. "I didn't think you would care."

He scowled at her. "Of course I care. Emma was my daughter."

"And Elena was your wife, but that didn't seem to bother you when you left them both stranded." Katherine felt her anger boiling over.

"Look, Katherine you're the last person I want to talk to all right?" he snarled. "I came because Stefan asked me too, I didn't come to hear you bitching and whining just like you always do-"

"Then leave!" Katherine snapped back, momentarily forgotten that she was outside of a church. "No one wants you here. You certainly don't deserve to be here since, you hardly ever spoke to Emma. You're nothing but a good for nothing bastard and spineless coward-"

She felt a sharp slap on her cheek.

"Damon, no!" she heard Stefan yell and when Katherine opened her eyes again she saw Stefan and Elijah each gripping one of his arms.

"I got this," Stefan nodded once towards Elijah and Elijah reluctantly let go as Stefan pulled an arguing Damon outside.

Rebekah and Caroline were immediately by her side. "Are you ok?" Caroline's blue eyes widened. "Kat, your face-"

Rebekah interrupted her. "Why did he come for? I was sure that my almost brother in law was rotting in hell by now."

"I wish." Katherine mumbled as she rubbed her stinging cheek. "It was my fault too, I pushed him too far, but I don't regret it."


"Why do we always meet like this?" Katherine joked lightly. She was sitting on top of her kitchen counter, still wearing her black dress, but she had taken her heels off.

"It must be déjà vu, or fate," Elijah returned lightly as he rubbed something on Katherine's slightly swollen cheek than stung. "Sorry, but it will feel better later."

"I hope so," she murmured. Even though Damon had only slapped her, he seemed to have used half of his strength and her cheek had become slightly swollen. "I really wished I would have hit him back though."

"No offense or anything but something tells me he would have won."

"Don't underestimate me," she shot back. "This must get pretty boring for you, I must owe you at least a dozen favors by now."

"It's my job," Elijah said. "Patching people up."

Katherine's eyes welled up with tears, but she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she had been holding them in all week or because dealing with Damon had been the final straw that broke the camel's back. The tears started dripping down her face, even though she desperately wanted them to stop.

"What's wrong?" Elijah asked worried.

"I don't know." She blubbered.

But Elijah ever the gentleman didn't press her, instead he just handed her the tissue box and held her.

-End of Chapter Eleven-