Author's Notes:

I know I've already done this, but I'd just like to thank Diamond Desert again. Her reviews make this entire story worth it.

Chapter 21:

Trusting Viscousness

The two walked further away from the Mystic Grill's front door towards his truck where the bright sun beamed off it.

"Okay, so just so you know – we're driving the whole way there to New Orleans. It's like a twelve hour drive," Matt said to Jeremy as he opened up the back door and shoved the duffle bag of weapons on the seats. Jeremy bobbed his head with one hand shoved into his pockets casually and the other gripping onto the strap of his school bag. "Okay."

"Great," Matt said, then closed the back door. He smiled like he did naturally. "Then I guess we should get going?" He suggested.

Jeremy glanced down at him shoes then back up at him with those sweet puppy dog eyes. "Yeah. We've got a long way to go."

Matt grimaced as he looked at Jeremy. "I still don't know if bringing you with me is a great idea... I mean, we're going up against Klaus."

Jeremy sighed. "Look – I'm sick of being the kid in the group who can't do anything," he widened his eyes in dramatic affect, "Who always has to be protected." He slugged the bag further up his shoulder. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I can take care of myself."

"And I don't know if you've noticed, but you just came back from the dead."

Jeremy shrugged. "And what good would I be if I just used my second chance doing nothing?"

Matt would have argued more, but he could easily relate. Matt knew what it was like to be thought of as nothing more than just precious cargo that got in the way a lot, and needed to be protected. He was almost as sick of it as Jeremy was. "Alright, get in the truck."

Jeremy nodded. "Okay," he said with a grin as he made his way quickly around the other side, almost in fear that if he didn't hurry, Matt would drive off without him.

Matt pointed an almost threatening finger at him. "But you're calling your sister on the road," he added, still being the good All-American boy. The boys both opened their door simultaneously, about to get in when they heard a chillingly familiar voice.

"You two are both still idiots, I see."

Matt turned around and Jeremy looked over the hood of the truck, already halfway in the passenger's seat.

And there they saw her.

"Elena," Matt said with his sad baby blue eyes piercing her cold brown ones. Jeremy took a closer look, staring into his sister's eyes. They remained dark and cold. Why were they cold?

Immediately, Jeremy rushed around from his side of the truck to stand next to Matt, his hands clenched into fists by his side.

Jeremy glared at the slightly messy girl who stood in front of them in her high black heels, skinny jeans and leather jacket.

"Katherine..." He breathed, trying to control his anger for the girl that killed him.

Katherine grinned proudly, lowering her chin to gaze more darkly at the two boys. "Mm, you catch on quick, little Gilbert," she said in that permanently sexy way she always did.

Matt, looking confused as usual, looked back from Katherine to Jeremy and back to her. His tortured sad eyes grew a little darker, sharing the mutual hatred he had for her with Jeremy.

Katherine, still smiling arrogantly, raised her hands in defeat. "You can relax... I pose no threat to you," she said as she placed a not-so manicured hand on her curvy him.

Jeremy frowned, putting every little detail together in his head. "Something's different about you..."

"Yeah, you're a mess," Matt said with a surprisingly rude grimace as he looked the disheveled girl up and down.

Katherine raised a brow, then lazily pointed a finger Matt's way. "I thought you were supposed to be the sweet one..."

Matt, growing irritated and impatient very quickly, squinted his eyes. "What do you want, Katherine?"

Jeremy continued to study her every action, her every movement.

"Me?" She asked rhetorically. "Apparently, I am saving you two from getting yourselves killed."

Jeremy glared at her. "We're fine, thanks," he sneered.

"Aw, come on... You're not still mad at me for killing you, are you?" She asked still with that horribly arrogant smile.

Jeremy's glare darkened as he remembered what Bonnie gave up to save him... All because of her...

And then it clicked. Jeremy's eyes widened and he pointed at her. "You're human."

"What?" Matt asked, whipping his head around to look her way.

"Yeah," Jeremy glanced at him before looking back at her. "You took the cure... You're not a vampire, anymore."

Katherine rolled her eyes and she started to slowly take steps closer to them. "I thought artists were supposed to be to dumb to put basic facts together..." She smiled at Matt. "...Or is that just the quarterbacks?"

Matt swallowed, refusing to retort and sink to her level. "Whatever," he mumbled. "Come on, Jer, let's go," he said before turning around and opening his door.

"Wait," Katherine said a little too desperately for a girl like her.

Jeremy continued to study her.

"What?" Matt snapped, wanting nothing more than to be rid of her and be on his way to save Caroline.

Katherine hesitated, still looking a little too disheveled to be her natural self. "...Take me with you."

Matt accidentally slammed his door closed with anger as he turned around to glare at her. "What did you just say?"

Katherine stood up straight and placed her hand back on her hip, trying to remain poised and dignified despite her sudden outburst. "I said take me with you." She shrugged. "It's for your own good, you know."

"No way in hell!" Matt said, while Jeremy continued to remain silent, studying her every move.

"Look," Katherine began, raising a halting hand in order to get him to shut up. "If you're trying to take down Klaus to save your precious Caroline, then I'm your best bet."

Matt snorted at her ridiculous offer.

Katherine did her best to ignore it, trying to stop herself from using every insult in the book. "I know Klaus better than anyone. I know how he thinks and what he's capable of—"

"He killed my aunt," Jeremy snapped. "Believe me, I know exactly what he's capable of."

Katherine raised a brow. "You sure about that?" She laughed at him slightly. "Believe me, that's just the tip of the iceberg of what he's capable of..."

Jeremy gritted his teeth. He was using all his restraint to stop from lunging at her and throttling that bitch's neck. "You're just a pathetic human now, Katherine. What the hell can you offer us?"

Katherine gritted her own teeth and rolled her eyes. "I already told you, Gilbert. Knowledge; insight. Which, by the way, is a hell of a lot more than two little boys and a duffle bag full of weapons," she raised her voice, "None of which can take down an original hybrid." She took a step forward, avoiding sounding desperate. "You need me."

Both Matt and Jeremy stared at her sceptically.

"What's in it for you?"

Katherine's lips parted, hesitant of what to tell these two idiots with crossbows.

Jeremy gently whacked Matt on the arm. "Come on, let's go," he said without inviting Katherine.

"Wait!" She growled. Katherine may be human, but she's still a feisty, intolerant little bitch. "I promise you two; my reasons for coming with you are not going to affect your plans in any way... There's just someone I need to see."

"Who?" Matt asked, already being sucked in.

Katherine pursed her lips and raised her chin. "A certain original vampire that only you two can lead me to."

"Why us?"

She couldn't help but scoff at their stupidity. "Do you really think Klaus's brother and annoying little sister won't come running to save him when you two approach him?" She snorted and shook her head. "I was right; quarterbacks and artists are idiots."

Matt and Jeremy looked at each other as though having a telepathic conversation. Matt shrugged, couldn't hurt to have a back-up plan. Jeremy sighed and bobbed his head in agreement, though still reluctant to trust the bitch that killed him.

Matt looked back at Katherine. "Just get in the truck and keep quiet." He looked at Jeremy. "It's a long drive ahead of us."

Katherine's lips curled into a smile.