A/N:

This chapter is kind of shorter than the previous one, I'm working out the kinks of the story so that I can have one chapter done each week. Good thing is I'm on winter break, and now have the time for it. Might try to get two or three chapters done the week of Christmas this year. One because I told myself I would get a new chapter out each week. Two because it's Christmas, so it's kind of a gift of sorts. Three because I think I owe you guys it and since it'll be my 20th birthday. But I really just want to get to a certain point of the story I'm excited for. I gave a slight hint in this chapter.

So, until next time... :)


(Disclaimer: I do not own anything from 'The Vampire Diaries')


Chapter 29


Elena sat across from Damon, her doe eyes glittering with pure amusement. It was a complete difference compared to that of the cruelty and falsehood found in Katherine's own dark eyes. Just thinking about them now, he suppressed a shiver at the coldness that was hidden under a thin veil of kindness and charm.

He kind of preferred this version of Katherine, going over it in his head. Shaking the thought out, he berated himself because this was not Katherine. He shouldn't entertain the thought that she could or would ever be Katherine. She probably got enough of that. Anyways, she was nowhere near to being the woman he and his brother have been fighting for over the past several months. Katherine was a void of darkness that sucked everything good, leaving behind coldness and emptiness. And he had been blinded by it. Stefan more so, and he still was.

The insistent banter coming from the open front door broke him from his thoughts. He watched as a smile curved on Elena's pink lips in delight at the man trapped outside. It seemed surreal to him to see another face as the woman he thought he would love forever look so full of light, no sense of darkness lurking behind her eyes.

"I have not seen you for a while, darling!" Called Kol, his voice strained a bit between whether to be annoyed or playful with Elena's refusal to stay in his range of sight.

"Whose fault is that?" She questioned back, raising a brow to Damon. He gave her a small smile, because just being in her company for such a short period of time already. He felt as if he had known her before, a strange sense of dejavu swept over him and there was already a soft spot for her in his very soul. Strangely as well, he knew it had nothing to do with Katherine. Elena had her own magnetic touch in the way she drew you in with her eyes.

"It was for your own safety, and for my dear sister. I was not about to let that damned man as a father lay a feather light touch upon your skin!" He growled, his voice tense at the reminder. Elena sighed, her smile drooping a bit.

"That was not what I meant, Kol. I appreciate what you and your brothers did to protect us. But you know I can protect myself, I am more than capable of handling Mikael face to face. We could have still been together. But it doesn't matter now. All that matters is that I finally know that you are okay, now we just need to wait for Klaus and Elijah," Elena answered, shaking her shoulders out as if there were ruffled feathers.

"I just care about you…" Kol told her quietly. Damon had to strain his hearing a bit to be able to catch what he said to her next, and he soon felt disappointment that there was more than just something between her and the strange man that called himself Kol Mikaelson. He watched her with his cobalt blue eyes as her pink lips moved almost wordlessly as what he could assume was a response to the stranded vampire outside.

"I really do hope that Mr Gilbert gets here soon so that he stops complaining about not being with you and that I can hurry with my father's business with him. My father is not very fond of simply waiting, especially when it comes to me carrying on some business…" he all but muttered out the last part in disgust. Elena watched as he fiddled with his fingers and dropped his head to look down upon them. So much more different than the Damon in her time. Though she remembered the times he told her during the rare vulnerable moments as he discussed about his relationship with his father and everything in his human life to the beginning of his new immortal one.

She reached over and placed her hand upon his fidgeting ones. He froze, startled, but glanced up to meet her warm gaze. "You are going to be okay. Don't worry yourself. Uncle John will be here soon, and if you ever need a break from home you can always come here. I am more than positive Uncle John would not mind."

He allowed himself a weak grin. Nothing like the charming and witty personality he normally showcased to everyone else. He felt almost secure in being entirely open with her, but he didn't want to dump all his emotional debate and problems on her on a first meeting. "Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment," he nodded gratefully. She smiled, squeezing his hand before releasing it.

"You bloody martyr," Kol teased aloud.

"Oh shut up Kol. It's been awhile and I think I can only take you in small doses now before I literally tear my hair out or better yet slap that smirk off your face!"

"I welcome it. Shows me how much of a hellcat you truly are!"

"You're going to end up finding yourself in a ditch somewhere…" Elena threatened beneath her breath, causing alarm to go through Damon.

"What was that darling?" Kol singsonged, and from Damon's angle on the couch he could see a glimpse of the vampire move a hand through his tousled locks and slightly flutter his lashes teasingly. It must have been a reflexive reaction, but it looked silly doing it to a door frame.

"Oh nothing! No one plots a murder out loud!"

"I do!" He corrected.

"Well it's no wonder you have no friends!" She declared.

"Wow… if only I had a heart to care."

Elena snorted at his comment. "Keep telling yourself that, Kol. Maybe someday we'll actually believe it."

"When will my dear sister reveal herself?" He drawled out, ignoring her comment. Clearly bored out of his mind as he turned to lean against the door. Just as he did so, he was pinned to it with someone else's body crashing into his own.

"About bloody time!" The mass that attacked him announced.

Kol cringed, not able to hug her back due to her pinning his arms to his sides as she continued to hug him. "'Bekah, love. I love you, I truly do… but could you please not suffocate me," he mumbled, lowly. His eyes taking notice of Marcel and another dark haired gentleman walking up the dirt path. He nodded his head towards Marcel, who returned it with a slight grin at Rebekah's child like tendencies when it came to her brothers.

"So I am to assume you are my niece's husband, correct?" The man beside Marcel questioned. Rebekah released Kol, her sky blue eyes taking in the rigid form of her brother. It was quite hilarious actually as she watched him process Johnathan's words before settling her eyes on someone else.

Elena had just appeared in the doorway, a grimace appearing upon her face along with a crease between her eyebrows. The black haired male that followed behind Elena, surprised Rebekah though.

"Yes, I am Elena's husband," Kol confirmed after a moment, reaching out his hand towards Johnathan. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Would it be bold of me to ask if you could invite me in?" Kol's brown eyes sought out Johnathan's in earnest, knowing full well that this human had to mean something to Elena if he was willing to call her niece.

Johnathan hesitantly smiled, shaking the Original's hand. "I assumed as much. I welcome you into my home, now please take care of my niece. I have grown rather attached to her," Johnathan admitted, winking at Elena's shocked expression. His eyes then moved onto the figure behind her, recognizing the eldest Salvatore son of Giuseppe. "Damon, I'm sorry. Have I kept you here long?"

Damon moved out from the house, shaking his head. "No, Mr Gilbert. Though my father sent me here to discuss some private business with you before I had to go back to the manor," Damon answered. Elena frowned, noticing how Damon didn't call the place he lived in, home.

"Well alas, my boy," Johnathan said, patting Damon's shoulder. "Let's go off to my office and talk." Johnathan directed Damon down the hall, nodding his head towards everyone else before taking off the same direction as Damon.

Kol immediately followed after the two inside the house, before sidling up beside Elena. His fingers twining with hers. The gesture wasn't lost on Rebekah, who smiled and closed the door when both her and Marcel were inside. Now all there left to was wait for Elijah and Niklaus.



Klaus sat at his drawing room, a bored expression upon his face. His elbow was rested on the desk, allowing his hand to prop his head up as he stared at Stefan. The Salvatore in question seemed a bit flustered, with one hand on his hip and the other pressed to his forehead.

"You're jealous," Klaus stated, calmly. Stefan shook his head, oak green eyes looking at the Original with mixed emotions.

"I-I'm not," he stuttered, before shutting his eyes and blowing out some air in his frustration.

Klaus leaned over, ice blue eyes focused on the younger vampire. "Then why are you worked up over the fact that your dear brother saw Elena first in ole Mystic Falls?" He questioned, drumming his fingers on the wood of his desk. He thought when Elena made it clear that she wouldn't end up with either Salvatore, the brothers themselves would stop with their petty emotions.

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just miss her, and realizing that she's so close that my brother remembers her before we turned? I don't know how to feel. What's going to happen to us? Katherine is there with me now. What is going to happen when you and the rest of your family get there and meet Katherine in that time, when originally that never happened?" He stressed, rubbing his temples as if the thoughts themselves were torture.

Klaus leaned back, tapping a finger on his desk. "Good things will come of that. Katherine will be dead a lot sooner, and won't have to deal with the drama and trouble she continued to bring into our eternal lives," the Hybrid shrugged.

"What if Damon and I don't turn this time?" Stefan threw out.

"Then I guess you get to find out how your life would have been, Stefan," Klaus told him. "Although I doubt that's going to happen."

Stefan narrowed his eyes at him, and folded his arms. "And why is that?"

Klaus quirked a brow at him. "The family you have in this moment. It's hard to break a bond as strong as that, or even make that...trust me I've tried."

"How would I know that? If I don't know them yet?" He pressed.

"Then I guess there's nothing to worry about then."


"So, tell me Ms Bennett what have you learned about how Elena was thrust back in our time line," Elijah asked, his leg crossed over the other in a chair in Bonnie's home while his chin was propped up by his hand.

The witch in question looked a bit frazzled, having gone over any kind of book she could get her hands on that could tell her what could have changed the spell Esther had promised was foolproof. "There's no record of anything of the spell your mother directed me through anywhere, much less what happens afterwards!" She exclaimed, running a hand through her curls in frustration.

"Just stay calm. At least you know Elena's safe at the moment," Elijah comforted.

Bonnie tossed back her head, a slight sneer on her face. "Oh yes, she's safe with you guys for now. But I won't see her again until whenever she returns to our time."

Elijah sighed. "There's nothing we can do from here, other than to wait. It may be sooner for you than for Elena. She has to live through another century before she can see you, Caroline, and Jeremy."

Bonnie stared gloomily at her family grimoire. "You know I've been having strange dreams about Elena, but I can only remember pieces of them. None of them make any sense to me," she admitted, softly. The comment arose interest in Elijah, who sat forwards.

"What can you remember?" He asked.

Bonnie let out a laugh. "You may think this crazy. Maybe I'm only seeing these dreams because of what Rebekah has told me of her memories or from some off hand comments from Kol. But I've seen Elena in her house, but it entirely different from how it was before she burned it to the ground. I saw glimpses of Rebekah and Kol, along with two other men. Then it cut to a different scene where she was alone on the Wickery Bridge…" her eyebrows were furrowed, eyes shut tightly as she concentrated on the images flashing through her mind. "Someone came up to her, before it faded to Elena laying on the floor behind bars. They strapped her to a chair and...cut parts of her off and injected her with liquids… she was being tortured before she ended up behind those same bars on the ground," Bonnie said. Her brown eyes looked to Elijah's frozen expression.

"Anything else?"

Bonnie shrugged. "I can only see her behind the bars or strapped to a table, struggling to heal. It's been the same dream for the last week or so. The first few were of her happy. The only difference with last nights dream is that there was an arm reaching out and placing their hand on hers as she laid curled up on the ground," she explained further, rubbing her face.

It was only then that Elijah realized the real reason for her mood changes. She was worried that the dreams she was having would be true. And to be honest, even the knowledge of Bonnie having dreams of Elena in their past and about things that he cannot verify did little to ease his nerves. He wasn't sure if he should announce this news to the others, or to wait.

Bonnie seemed to read where his thoughts were at, and she shook her head.

"Don't. I'd rather not worry Jeremy or the others, if it turns out to be just me over worrying about things," she requested.

Elijah frowned, but nodded.



Kol traced the curve of her jaw, his eyes taking in the sleeping brown haired woman beside him. Uncle John had allowed for Kol to take the room with Elena, where she had originally shared with Rebekah the first night. From what he heard from his sister, Elena had not been sleeping well, but he doubted it because here she was sleeping soundly beside him.

His throat felt parched, mind wandering off as he took in her features. Not going to admit it to his brothers nor anyone else, but he really did miss her. He regretted the slight detour he took that kept him away longer, but didn't give a single care for the bodies he left behind.

Elena let out a sigh, before sinking deeper beneath the covers. Her hair a mess around her head, amusing Kol because it was still new seeing her any less than perfect. He only slept beside her once before, the night when his father decided to come out and play.

Gazing at her now though, he felt as if he was missing something. He heard of her indulging in her hunger, something he had yet to see her do. But something he had apparently helped her do, along with a friend of hers in her time.

Laying back into the bed, he let out a breath, eyes now focusing on the ceiling. His fingers running through Elena's hair, who released a pleased hum in her sleep. A slight smile growing on his lips at the small sound. Shutting his eyes, he thought about what they should do the next day. From what he heard from his sister and Marcel they met a vampire in town who seemed close to Uncle John, which they didn't like nor trust due to the suspicion that the woman was affiliated with Katerina. Chuckling to himself, he imagined what a field day Nik would have when he and 'Lijah got into town. But maybe it would be a good idea that one of them kept a lookout for them, so not to draw attention to either one of them. Those two were the most memorable and known of the Mikaelson Family. A glimpse of Nik's face though or one syllable of his name would send Katerina running.

Well, at least they knew where she was staying. Elena told him about the cobalt blue eyed male he saw her with the moment he arrived. Damon Salvatore. He was the eldest son, and was not favored in the Salvatore Family, that much Kol could see. Damon's younger brother, Stefan, and him were fighting over Katerina and Stefan always seemed to be the one who could do no wrong in their father's eyes. The way Damon acted, Kol recognized the signs of abuse that he often saw from Nik when they were human. And a part of him felt for him, because he could also see that Damon Salvatore meant something to Elena. But he also was a tad bit skeptical and jealous of that fact. Not that he would fight her on it, since he knew there was no winning that argument.

"You're thinking too loud," a mumble came from his side, where the blanket muffled her voice a bit.

Turning his head, he opened one eye to see that her own were still closed. "Sorry, love. Just…"

"...thinking, I know. We'll go over what's in that head of yours later, now is time for sleep," she interrupted with a yawn, snuggling deeper in her blanket.

"Whatever you say," he agreed, not having the energy to argue about staying awake. He slid closer to her, his arms wrapping around her body and tucking her under his chin. Letting himself succumb into sleep, and enjoying the feeling of Elena nuzzling her nose against his neck. He hoped that every night ended like this with her.


"You're a pain in the ass!"

"But I'm your pain in the ass," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, her eyebrows furrowed down at his comments. "If I wanted to date someone annoying as Klaus, I would have dated him instead!" She told him, wiping the amused expression off of Kol's face. Whereas Klaus himself looked affronted. Kol was beside Elena's side in an instant, his dark eyes glaring at Klaus like a jealous dog.

"Now darling, no need to go that low," Kol told her, trying to put an arm around her waist. But she shoved him off in her irritation, causing Klaus' eyebrows to raise.

"You need to stop instigating Damon and the others! They are my friends, and Damon happens to be my closest one since my transition," she seethed. Both men's light bulbs went off at why Elena had stormed into the kitchen the way she did.

Kol let out a grunt, unpleased at being scolded by his girlfriend. "He instigates as much as I do, so why don't you yell that nonsense back at your friends. Oh wait, they don't know about us!" He growled. The hostility coming off Kol caused Elena to go unsteady, because that was rare. But she shook it off, because she was completely done with both their antics. They were children fighting over a shiny new toy, and the shiny new toy happened to be her.

"I told him to stop, but like you… he's the same stubborn, sarcastic, full of himself vampire who believes that whatever he does is the right thing to do," she retorted.

Klaus grimaced, never really enjoyed arguments that he wasn't part of in one way or another, so he slowly backed away from the couple and out the kitchen to find Rebekah. Maybe she could help diminish the collateral after their argument. Both Kol and Elena didn't notice Klaus' absence, although he should have since he always made some sort of comment.

"Newsflash, darling, you should know that I always happen to be right," Kol told her, towering over her smaller figure.

"You and Damon should just date each other. Or better yet, date a mirror. I already had the same argument with Damon before getting here," she snapped, rubbing her temples before turning away from him.

He frowned, noticing how tense she was that she was shaking and then remembering one important fact. "When was the last time you ate?" He asked her softly, trying to diffuse the situation that he normally wouldn't care to with anyone else.

Her back was still directed at him, when she answered. "I don't know… a day ago? Two?" Her voice was quiet when she finally answered his question.

"Darling…" he sighed, "we talked about you feeding regularly. Your emotions and thoughts are probably scattered due to your hunger. You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry…" she tried to argue, feebly trying to wave Kol off.

But knowing him, she should have known he wouldn't be deterred by that. Because next thing she knew, he had picked her up and disappeared from the Mikaelson Home. It seemed she would be feeding from someone by the end of the day. Kol didn't want her dependent on his blood alone, which she understood but she disliked the idea of feeding. It was something she was struggling with, since Stefan kept trying to have her hunt animals. Each one of her friends had a different view on how she should feed, and she just found it easier to not feed at all. The only two that seemed to favor the same view on her feeding were Damon and Kol, which frustrated her to no end because they were always at each other's throats and irritating one another. She just wished they would both stop and realize that they were no different, but she knew they both would rather have a stake pierce through their heart instead of admitting any similarity.

"I know what you're thinking, darling," Kol announced, setting her down. They were outside of a club just out of Mystic Falls town limits. "But please refrain from comparing me to Damon. You know I don't like him."

"I hate when you read my mind," Elena sighed, allowing Kol to keep his hand on her hip.

Kol smirked. "How do you think I feel when you do the same?"

Elena smiled, tiredly at him. "About the same," she said shrugging.


Damon let out a breath, glad that was able to appease his father for the time being with the meeting he had with Johnathan Gilbert earlier that day. He may have stayed later than what his father was pleased with, especially a little before sunset. Giuseppe Salvatore was not a man known for his patience nor his kindness, he was a businessman first and foremost. Never was a family man, the closest he got to being a father was only towards Damon's younger brother, Stefan. Their father wasn't even a very good husband, Damon remembered little of his mother since she seemed to have vanished when he was around four years old, but he did recall the tears she would cry and the bruises on her skin, that she skillfully hid from outsiders' prying eyes.

He pressed a hand to his forehead, his nerves finally settling now that he was at his bedroom door. Every time he was near or directly in his father's sights, he just felt ill. Stefan knew this, which is why his brother checked up on him before he had to go into their father's office. All he really wanted was some sleep to process over the events of today, and going back to talk to Johnathan Gilbert's niece some more.

Opening the door to his bedroom, he stopped short of the sight on his bed. He internally groaned, but then he should have known that this would have been the sight awaiting him since Stefan had been with her all day. Katherine laid across his covers with only her undergarments on, a wicked smile on her painted lips and curls in a disarray. Normally he would have been tempted, and to be honest he still slightly was. Though he was really not in the mood for any of her games tonight.

"Damon you kept me waiting. That's not very nice," she told him, running a hand along her side before sitting up to crawl towards him.

"Family business," he told her, walking away from the bed and to his wardrobe where he began to undo his tie and unbutton his shirt.

"Oooh, is that why you are all huffy and puffy?" She teased, standing from his bed and strutted over to him. Before she draped an arm around his waist, he turned around taking ahold of her hand.

"I would like to sleep in peace," he told her bluntly, catching her off guard. She stepped back, her arm dropping away from his grasp. Her doe eyes were narrowed in suspicion as she looked him over, her lips pulling into a straight line.

"I can put you in a peaceful sleep," she pressed, running her tongue across her bottom lip. Damon sighed, closing his eyes to how catlike she became.

"Not in the mood, Katherine. I had a long day," he continued, turning her down which furthered the doppelganger's annoyance. She huffed, crossing her arms.

"Fine, maybe I'll go spend the night with Stefan," she commented, offhandedly. She swayed her hips as she walked away from him. Damon laughed at her words in his head, a slight smirk curving on his lips.

"You might be waiting a while, he's with father," he responded, continuing to dress into his night clothes, waving Katherine out of his room.

Katherine herself held a shocked expression, eyes wide at one of her lovers. He never acted this way towards her, and quite frankly it was ticking her off. She was in control. She wrote the script. But Damon wasn't acting according to it; Stefan and the others were. So what happened to set him off track. She may like him, but she always loved Stefan a bit more than Damon. And to be honest, it was exhilarating getting between the brothers. Having one was dull, having both was fun and she didn't have to choose since they were wrapped around her finger so tight, either one of them wouldn't want to lose her. Staring at the now closed door of Damon's room, she assured herself all that she had to do is remind Damon how much he didn't want to lose her.