I don't really know if I should go and hide, or if I should do a happy dance because I finally managed a new chapter… maybe a bit of both…. Though I first have to find out how I manage to mix those two things. Anyway, here it is: a NEW CHAPTER. YAY. My only excuse this time, is a fucking writers block. Not a good excuse I know but… it is what is it, right?

Now, as always, a huge thanks to AVECIA, who always finds the time to beta read my chapters, no matter how busy she is. Thanks you sweetheart! Also, thank you, my dear readers and reviewers. You comments always make my day!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything 'bout TVD – I just play with them because it is so much fun!

Now, on with it!

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The wind made an unholy sound as it rushed through the naked branches of the trees all around her. The world beyond the little clearing she was standing on was stark black – as if nothing existed outside of it. Nothing but the wind, the dead leaves on the ground and the full moon that was high up in the sky. She took a moment to appreciate the perfectly covered scene from every half-assed horror movie, before she tried to figure out what was going on. Had Emilie stolen her body again and done something? But no, the tiredness in her bones and the feeling of having all of her powers drained was missing.

So no Emilie, this time. This was also not a dream. She could think just fine, and she was very aware of everything. So, if this was neither Emilie's fault, nor a dream….

Great, a vision. Just what I need right now.

And just as suddenly as the realization hit her, the leaves on the ground started rising like tiny puppets on a string and built a twirling curtain around her. They spun around so fast, that she soon became dizzy and would've sat down… if it wasn't for the fact that it felt important to her that she stayed on her own two feet.

Now all of the leaves – every single one – were gone from the ground, leaving not earth and grass, but a big nothing. Looking up, the moon was gone too, replaced by endless black – not even stars were anywhere near in sight. But while she'd been busy staring first down and then up, the leaves had changed their dance, and were now starting to form shapes… shapes that soon became people.

The next thing she knew, she saw her Grams standing before her – and behind her generations of Bennett men and women. She had no idea why she knew that those where all of her ancestors, she just did. And as glad as she was to see her Grandmother again… she knew that this was a bad sign for things to come.

"Where am I? I'm not dreaming, right? This is real?"

Sheila just smiled at her granddaughter, gentle and a little sad at the same time, before she stepped up to her and enveloped her in her arms; showing her that, indeed, this was real. No dream ever felt just like a real hug.

"Yes my dear, you're right. Well… almost. You are not dreaming; but you're not quite awake either. As you fell asleep we called you. It is time for you to know."

"To… know? To know what, exactly? I have no idea what you're talking about."

Now another woman came forward. Her skin was fair and she had red hair and brown eyes… far away from the way she or her grandmother – or even Emily – had looked. The only thing even a little dark about her looks where her eyes – a deep brown color, heavy with grieve and guilt.

"Hello Bonnie. My name is Oenone. I believe that you have heard of me, as the Queen of Sparta told you her story."

Bonnie had to think for a moment, but then she remembered.

"Y… you're the woman that made Klaus into what he is. You're the one that created the first vampire."

Oenone nodded her head once; but even though there was shame in her gaze, she never once broke eye contact.

"That I am. And I am very sorry about that. But I was heartbroken and bitter, and felt the need to make his life – and that of Alyonas, too – miserable. If I would have known what consequences my actions would bear, I would just have let him die. But sadly, I can't change the past. I couldn't back then and certainly not now that I am dead."

"Yeah so, you feel guilty. That's nice to know, but doesn't help anyone. So just tell my why it is that I'm here. Certainly you wouldn't just drag me here just to say you're sorry."

A smile lit up the face of the other woman for a moment, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared.

"I see that the hard-headedness in our family has remained, and is still running strong through our veins. Bonnie… as you arrived here, you must have felt that we share the same blood – and the same magic. We are one family. So now you are here because I need you to know your place in this story."

"My place? I know exactly what my place is. It's as the best friend of Elena. It's to make sure she comes out at the end of this alive; because you and that freaking Queen had been selfish, and now her life is on the line because of that. Good job, by the way."

The little redhead looked at her exasperated – obviously not used to someone speaking to her like that. Bonnie couldn't care less though– just because back then she'd had her heart broken and wanted revenge, everything was now going to hell in her life? She had a fucking right to be angry.

Taking in a deep, calming breath, Oenone settled her rising temperament and spoke, as if Bonnie hadn't interrupted her.

"You can be the best friend all you want… but you still have something else to do. It is true what Alyona said; Klaus really can only be killed by a Doppelganger. It is also true that only she knows how to kill him. But you are needed too. Without your magic, not even she will be able to do anything against him. Now listen to me, and listen closely – because we don't have much time left here, and I can't call you to me a second time. When the moment arrives and you and your friends are up against him, you'll need to…"

And Bonnie did listen closely. She took everything in that Oenone had to tell her. She knew she needed to be ready when the time arrived.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Barely even awake, he stretched his arm across the bed in search of Elena. But as he came up with nothing but already cold sheets, he pried his eyes open. And really, she was gone again. But at least this time she left him with a note, right there on her pillow.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he took up the note and unfolded it – squinting his eyes a little so he could read it. Stupid eyes, taking so long to adjust to the morning light. But then the words came into focus and he had to roll his eyes.

I'm going to visit Katherine. I have shackles and vervain with me, and I won't take any risks with her. Just want to ask her a few things. Be back later.

Love, Elena.

He really wanted to just throw on a few clothes and rush after her… but he knew from experience that that wouldn't end well. Also… he believed that Elena was smart enough to really take no risks with Katherine, not just saying so.

So instead of acting like an overprotective boyfriend (which he probably still was but… this was Elena, and the girl had the tendency to get all self-sacrificial and suicidal. So fuck you very much, but he had a right to worry), he took a long, hot shower, dressed, and went down in search of breakfast.

The only thing he did find though, was his little brother, nursing a still steaming cup of coffee. After closer inspection, he came to the conclusion that Stefan had had a pretty rough night. Pale (or… paler than usual), dark rings under his eyes and a very bad case of bed head. It nearly looked like…

"Don't get me wrong Stefan, but you look like you're having the worst hangover in history."

His brother barely looked up from his coffee as he grunted some answer.

"What was that? I'm sorry, but I don't speak Caveman."

"I said, that's probably because I am hung over."

"Yeah right… Stefan, you're a vampire. You can't get a hangover."

Now his little brother finally looked up properly and – he had to give it to him. He did look miserable enough. But still, in over a hundred and forty years of trying, he never once managed to get drunk enough to get a proper hangover.

"Tell that to my fucking head. Whatever the stuff was he gave me, it did the damn trick."

Now he was just confused.

"Do us all a favor, and stop talking in riddles. Who gave you what? And for the record – did nobody ever tell you to not take candy from strangers?"

Stefan tried to give him a pissed-off look; but is fell short because he winced in pain before he even had it fixed on his face.

"Elijah. I was talking about Elijah. We sat in the Grill, and then we went to the B&B he's staying at… filled our glasses with something. No idea what it was, but now I have a damn Marching Band rehearsing in my head."

Damon still wasn't all that much wiser… but at least he wouldn't get bored until Elena came back. It had always been fun to… well, make fun of Stefan. And what better way to do it, than to make as much noise as possible right now?

Grinning, he went to the fridge, got out the leftover fruit salad from the last day, and dumped it into the mixer. With a wicked grin he put the lid on it, and pushed the On button.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Stefan wince in pain – again – and then sinking his head onto the table.

Oh yes, this was going to be one fun morning.

xoxoxoxoxo

Elena had left Damon asleep in his bed – again. And really, she would rather have slept in than be here but…. For some reason she had to come here.

So she pulled her thoughts away from Damon, needing every bit of concentration so the woman on the other side of the huge stone door couldn't manipulate her into doing something stupid. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the boulder aside and stepped into the tomb.

It smelled of mold and a little like old – very old – books. She came to a stop in front of the woman that usually was her mirror image. Not so now. Katherine had turned into a dried up corpse weeks ago (standing were she was now, Elena realized that the old-books-smell came from the woman too. She made a grimace at that; but then she thought she would take dried-up-corpse over rotting-corpse every day).

Giving herself a mental shove, she lifted the other woman up, and leaned her against the old metal railings at the back wall. Then she took out the shackles and vervain soaked ropes she had brought in a bag (careful to only touch the ropes with the leather gloves she had brought too), and secured the other woman to the fence.

She wanted to speak to Katherine, not get her throat ripped out by her. After she was sure that her ancestor wouldn't be able to get free of her restraints, she uncapped a bottle full of blood and held it under the others nose.

It didn't take long for her to react. Her eyes opened slowly, making a sound as if someone scratched over sand. Then she forced her lips apart, just a few millimeters. But it was enough for the blood to get past and moments later, her skin began to gain color, the sunken in cheeks filling up again. When the bottle was empty, Katherine tried to sit up properly, only to realize that someone had bound her in chains and rope.

Looking up, she saw Elena standing above her, hands on her hips and a serious look on her face.

"Oh, look at that. The little kitten had grown claws. Do you feel good now? Powerful? Because let me tell you… binding me while I can't move, is everything but."

Instead of the furious look on her descendants face that she had been expecting, Elena shook her head in a mock-sad attitude.

"Can we skip the antagonistic comments and the threats – that are sure to come soon otherwise – and concentrate on the more important things here?"

"I wasn't aware that there are important things for the two of us to discuss."

Nodding her head, Elena sat down in front of Katherine, studying her face as if she was searching for differences in their appearance she wouldn't find.

"But then again, it's not as if you're up to date recently, are you? So I'm going to tell you what's happened since you've been locked in here and then… well. Then we'll see."

Elena had no idea why she came here in the first place… just, with all the talk about descendants and ancestors… family as a whole, she couldn't shake the feeling that even though not many of her family were left… there still were a few.

Uncle John, Jeremy, Aunt Jenna, Isobel… and Katherine. As much as she didn't like (or outright hated) most of them (with the exception of Jeremy and Jenna), they where all she had left to her blood. So she had the urge to come here, to tell Katherine what was happening outside of the tomb. And she had this little spark of hope that, after Klaus was finally out of all of their ways, that Katherine wouldn't be as much of a heartless bitch.

She told Katherine everything – letting her sip on another bottle of blood every once in a while – and had the first somewhat civilized conversation with the other Doppelganger.

"So… you're a vampire, and you're housing the soul of the first Petrova Doppelganger. And Damon is human and… Stefan gave you up willingly?"

"You have forgotten the part where Elijah is the husband of said first Doppelganger but… yeah, that about sums it up."

For the first time since she met Katherine, she actually looked honestly confused.

"Well that's… fucked up. Really, no other word for it."

Elena just nodded – for once they agreed on something.

"So, now that we chatted a little and became all buddy-buddy… care to tell me what you want from me?"

And there she went again, acting like the queen bitch.

"Nothing. I just felt the need to tell you what has been going on. I don't know why."

Shrugging Elena came to her feet and pulled a wicked looking knife out of her bag. Katherine's eyes widened slightly as she knelt down in front of her, knife pointing in her direction. But instead of cutting her flesh, with a few quick strokes the ropes fell down around her, leaving only the shackles. Then Elena gave her a little key and came to her feet.

"The key is to the shackles – you'll excuse if I don't free you from them myself. I'm not suicidal after all. I'm leaving the rest of the blood I brought… make good use of it, I won't be back all that soon."

And with that, Elena was out of the tomb and Katherine heard as she pushed the boulder back into place. She opened the shackles, slightly surprised that Elena really had left her the right key, and came to her feet. Something was not quite right about the story that her descendant had told her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something was missing. But if she had anything in the world right then, it was time to think.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Done already, sorry. I know it was a little bit shorter than usual, but it was better than nothing. At least, I think so – just let me know if you think otherwise. I love my reviews, you know it^^.

Oh and, btw… only a little over two weeks until the next Season is FINALLY airing! Whoop!

Reviews are love people!

So long,

Zora