N: Hey guys, sorry for the long wait, my summer courses started sooner than anticipated and I found myself with a hell of a work schedule and three intensive courses. But now I dropped a course and took one more day off work so I made some time to write this down. I hope you will enjoy it and leave me a review to let me know.

Now, my idea was to go directly to the next step, but someone pointed out an idea I dropped a few chapters ago. So, next chapter will be a lot on Elena and how she's dealing with the fact that she has Katherine's face, a woman who hurt the man she loves.

Incrementing evidence

It was barely 10am and the guys were playing tennis with some of the guests. Damon's parents took Anna to the park and Elena was alone with Caroline in the hotel suit. After a few minutes of complete silence, Caroline arranged her dress and stood up from the sofa.

"You enjoy this, don't you?" she asked looking at Elena as if she was her biggest enemy.

"Excuse me?" Elena asked surprised. First Elena hadn't been sure Caroline was talking to her, after all, she never did, but now that she noticed that the blonde woman was ogling her, she realized that she had no clue what Caroline was referring to.

"Toying with them both, making Stefan look like a fool…" Caroline mumbled in a sad voice. The first thought on Elena's mind was that Caroline was drunk again, but as she took a closer look, Elena realized that for the first time in a long time, the woman was sober and from the lost look in her eyes, in much need of a drink.

"And how did I make Stefan look like a fool?" Elena asked curious.

"You took Damon's side at the meeting yesterday's morning."

"Of course I did, Damon is my husband and I happened to believe he was right to fire those two, they were not helping him."

"Yes, of course, Damon is your husband and Stefan is mine, but that did not stop you from taking him away from me now did it?"

"I did not take Stefan away from you!"

"Nor recently, but you have in the past. You know what the worst part is? You didn't even want him. After you caught his interest, you trashed him away, crashed his ego and made him close up even more. You just used him to get to Damon."

Elena could not deny the accusations because after everything she learned about Katherine, she believed Caroline might be right. Katherine didn't seem to have any problem seducing other men to get at Damon, even if those men happened to be Damon's brother or his best friend.

"I assure you, Caroline, that I have no desire in Stefan," it was the best Elena could do regarding the circumstances.

"No, you don't, I know that. You never wanted Stefan, not really. He is not the golden child, the good politician; charming, beautiful, alluring…Stefan is not the one in the spot light. Compared to Damon, Stefan is ordinary, and hell would freeze over before Katherine goes after something ordinary, right?"

"You dare accuse me of trying to steal your husband from you, but did you once fight me for him?" Elena shouted. She had had just about enough with people accusing her – well not her, Katherine – off the most despicable things. Yes, Katherine had been the devil incarnated, but it takes two to tango and more than three to call it a party. "Tell me, Caroline, in all this time, did you ever confront me, did you do your best to get your husband's attention, or did you drink yourself into stupor every day, completely ignoring Stefan?"

"You are being mean, Katherine," Caroline squeezed the small paper tissue in her right hand.

"No I am not, I am just being honest. I think it's time someone tells you the truth, and the truth is that your husband doesn't want you anymore and not because of other women, because of you. Look at you, you are a mess, no wonder he lusts after other women. Put yourself together, take care of yourself and stop drinking and maybe you might still get your husband and your daughter back."

"My daughter hates me," Caroline whispered after blowing her nose. Heavy tears were covering her cheeks, tears she had refused to let go for years. Elena felt bad for her, she wanted to go over to the shaky blonde and console her, but that was not what Caroline needed. Right now, Caroline needed a though hand, a wake-up call to pull her back to reality.

"Rebekah doesn't hate you, she just thinks you do not care for her, she thinks no one loves her and that she is not love-worthy."

"But…I love her…"

"Then show her that you do! For Christ's sake, Caroline, you mourn over the child you lost, but you are not taking care of the one you have." Elena knew she was hitting where it hurt most, but she felt like she had no choice if she wanted to really help Caroline. She heard about the baby Caroline lost two years ago from Damon by mistake and she felt bad for both Stefan and Caroline. "Be a mother to Rebekah and take some responsibility off your husband's shoulders, maybe then he will have time to notice you." Elena turned around, making her way towards the door. "Fix it before it's too late, Caroline," was all she said before getting out of the room, leaving Caroline alone with her thoughts.

***Lucky 13***

Elena knocked softly on Damon's office-door before pushing it open and got inside. Antonella was seated in one of the big chairs in front of the desk. Her hand-bag was on her lap and her ager hands were playing with the zipper. Elena knew that the elder woman must've been waiting for more than twenty minutes. As soon as she heard Elena close the door, she jumped out of the chair, turning towards the door.

"I am sorry," Elena mumbled. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"You didn't, I was just expecting…"

"Damon," Elena offered. "I'm afraid he can't make it. I guess you heard about the dispute between judges and magistrates?"

"Yes, I did. It's all over the news."

"Well, they decided it was the best opportunity for Damon to give a speech on the matter. They flew on a private jet so he will probably be back tonight, but he can't make lunch."

"I understand."

"I am free for lunch," Elena smiled shyly. It wasn't like she was dying to have lunch with her mother in law, but the idea didn't seem that terrible. Antonella was usually by Giuseppe's side and up until now, Elena did not have the opportunity to get to know the woman who loved Damon as much as she did.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Katherine."

"Why not?"

"For instance, I was looking forward to spending some time with my son and I am disappointed that the plan changed. We barely see each other besides the time at dinner and I really doubt he will make time for his mother any time soon. I am not in the mood for a substitute," Antonella replied. She looked at her daughter in law, following the changes in her expression; from slightly shy and excited to confused and upset. She had to admit that Katherine had changed since the accident, but nothing, nothing will make Antonella forget the pain she had caused Damon over the years.

"So that's your problem then. You are mad because Damon spends so much time with me?"

"Now, now Katherine, it was never a secret that I was against your marriage to my son. I had no choice; it was either accept it and keep him close or oppose myself to it all the way and lose him for good. I am not stupid, both my sons are stubborn, hot-blooded men; going against their decisions is not the way to keep them by your side."

"How can it be a secret, you never hid your feelings towards me."

"Considering what I know about you Katherine, I think I do hide my feelings towards you quite well," Antonella waited for Elena's reaction. When the reaction didn't come, she went on. "You see, at first, it was just a personal dislike, call it, a woman's intuition, but after you started hurting Damon, I hired a private investigator to dig into your past. The guy was a pain to work with, but he did an extraordinary job. The file begins with your nude-dancer career, Mason Lockwood's mistress when he was still married and everything in between. Your name changed over the years, but you weren't inventive enough. Katerina, Karina, Katy, Kate, hardly hard to connect. Although, I must give you this, you have discipline. It couldn't have been easy for a woman like you to learn how to be a lady, good enough to become a senator's wife, but the best for the last. Your transformation after the accident is remarkable. You should call yourself "Phoenix" as you have risen from your own ashes."

"You know what's different about the latest change?" Antonella didn't wait for Elena to answer. "The fact that you seem to believe it yourself," she explained.

"How do you know I haven't change out of love for Damon?"

"Because that is just not who you are Katherine! You can change your clothes, your look, your manners, but deep down, we both know you are just a whore with a brain."

"So when are you planning on exposing me to Damon?" Elena asked, trying her best not to turn around and empty het stomach onto the garbage can. The idea of Damon believing that about her was making her beyond nauseous.

"Never. As long as Damon's happy, my intention will not be to expose you. I know that if my son sees that file, he will be devastated. But listen to me, Katherine, if you hurt him gain, I will make sure he doesn't miss any detail of everything I have on you. Damon might have a weakness for you, but he will not tolerate a woman of your past near his daughter. The fact that he is falling in love with you all over again is killing me…"

"He is?" Elena realized she had asked the question out loud only when Antonella's expression changed.

"Well, he is falling in love with this new you. For your own good, I hope it's the final transformation, because I promise you this Katherine, nothing will save you if I decide to ruin you."

"I love Damon," Elena said softly. "The last thing I want is to hurt him."

"Are you even capable of love, Katherine?" Antonella tilted her head to look at her daughter in law from head to toe. She noticed that the young woman's hands were shaking slightly. The gesture seemed genuine. "Because I really hope you are."

Before Elena had the chance to respond, Antonella picked up her purse and made her way towards the door. "Oh and don't bother looking for the file. There is a copy in the ranch-office, the last drawer, but the original is in a private safe only I can open and if anything were to happen to me, only Damon has access to it." and then she was gone, leaving Elena alone, shaking and terrified in Damon's office.