My Doppelgänger

Chapter 38

1918…

I have spent the better part of my life with Niklaus and, of course, most of the time it was not easy. But the period between the day Marcel was turned and the year we would come to flee from New Orleans had to be one the gravest.

I had witnessed an innocent young boy, turn into a vampire. I was forced to see firsthand, everything that I hated about Niklaus and everything I used to hate about myself – the bloodlust, the only way I was able to see humans; as a source of food and the heightened emotions which made me unbearable. Having spent such an early time of my life with Niklaus made me lose my human side, as I had never known otherwise. When I had fled to Mystic Falls, the Salvatore brothers and Emily had rekindled my human side, which I had very much missed.

After everything that I had to go through to get my humanity back, I could not stand to watch little Marcellus become the thing I had come to loathe with every piece of me. I knew he was the one who had ultimately chosen the dark side, but I knew that my husband has played a huge role into Marcel's transformation.

Sometimes, I thought about an alternate universe, where I might have had the chance to meet my husband as a mortal, perhaps even Elijah. I mostly blamed Niklaus' unfaithfulness on him being a vampire and perhaps if I had met a human Niklaus, maybe he would not have brought me such heartache, maybe he would not have been unfaithful and our marriage would have stood a chance.

Since the day he had wretchedly turned Marcel into a vampire, he had made it his mission to turn the young man into his shadow. He taught Marcellus everything he needed to know, he took him hunting and together they wiped out numerous people while they together searched for a way to break Niklaus' curse. They even bedded wenches from taverns. My husband, of course, was very careful not to attract Mikael to us, but they still left a bloodbath everywhere they went hunting and searching. I had truly lost Marcel to Niklaus and the darkness that came with him.

I had come to hate everything that I once loved. I no longer played the piano, nor did I read. Elijah was worried about me and I heard him talk to Klaus a couple of times. But my husband shook it off. I could no longer enjoy a beautiful day outside. I was miserable all the time and sometimes not even Klaus or sweet Marcel could change it.

I was suffering from a depression, as we would come to call it in the modern days. I would curl into a ball in the corner of our room every time Klaus and Marcel left on their search trips and I would not dare to move until I heard them return. I was a mess. Niklaus knew that, but he kept leaving to find a way to break the damned curse. Even though he knew I needed him more than anything.

I knew it was all about to get worse, when I saw Marcellus one night, about to leave the compound. It was late at night and Klaus was out for the evening. I could not sleep, not when he was not beside me. So, I made my way downstairs, hoping to get some fresh air. That's when I saw Marcel looking at his surroundings before storming out the door.

"Marcellus, what are you doing?" I asked him slowly, as I rubbed my eyes and put a strand of my hair behind my eyes. It was an old habit. He spun around in alarm. He was clearly trying to sneak off.

"I'm leaving New Orleans, I'm off to the war mother…" he whispered, as he looked me dead in the eye. I closed my eyes shut for a long moment. I realized he was being serious as he was calling me that. He seemed to reserve the 'm' word for certain times.

He was leaving to fight in World War I, as we come to refer to it later on.

"You were leaving without saying goodbye?" I whispered back to him, a couple of tears streaming down my face. I moved closer to him, he only looked at me guiltily with a sad smile.

"I love you, Marcellus, you know that… but I cannot ask you to remain here, not when Niklaus has this strong hold on you. I would rather have you leave, than have him control you like this," I replied to the young man, blinking a couple of times trying to hold back the rest of my tears, trying to appear strong in front of him. But I knew it was the last thing that I was coming across as.

"I am sorry I have to leave you with him, Elena," Marcel whispered back as he looked down, almost guiltily.

He looked back up and moved closer to were I was. I furrowed my brows and he clasped my hand in his.

"Let me make you a promise. I will come back for you," he told me, looking me sternly in the eyes. He was dead serious. But I knew the chances of him returning after the war were slim. So I simply went along with it. I nodded furiously, and tears streamed down my face.

"Of course you will Marcellus," I whispered back with a smile, as I wiped away the tears that had reached my mouth.

"I will not let him hurt you anymore" he continued to say. He was so brave, my Marcellus.

"I need him..." I told him, my voice barely audible. It was the plain truth. I needed him, even if he did not need me.

"He'll be broken, once he finds out you left us, but he'll be fine," I told him, slowly nodding as if to reassure myself of my own words.

"He'll be fine," I repeated softly. I looked up from the ground, but Marcel was already gone. I clasped a hand over my mouth, trying to muffle my sobs as I realized he had left us. He had left, but he was finally free.

Klaus came back. I was not sure if it had been a day, or three, or perhaps even a week. I had made it to my bedroom after Marcel's departure. I had locked the door and stumbled to a corner, where I laid in a catatonic state.

"Where's my wife?" I heard him call from downstairs. I blinked very slowly and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

I could hear run up the stairs, and opening the door, only he could not open it because I had locked it.

"Open the door sweetheart…" I heard him say impatiently from the other side of the door. He had just arrived, and he was already being impatient with me! I closed my eyes and remained on the floor, hoping he would just leave me alone already.

"I'm kicking the bloody door in!" he gritted from between his teeth. I could imagine his pale eyes glowing in fury. I wrinkled my nose as he said that, he usually tried a couple more sweet words before he kicked the door in. Guess he was having a bad day, which made the two of us.

"Elena, sweetheart..." I hear him whisper faintly. I cringed his sudden softness and suddenly jolted as I felt him put his hand on my shoulder.

"Leave me alone," I whispered back as I jerked off his arm, not bothering to look at him.

"And what reason may I ask has gotten my sweet wife in an ill-temper this fine morning?" he sniggered as he slouched back a chair that was conveniently a few inches away from me.

"You only seem to bothered when it is of inconvenience to you. You just hate the trouble I seem to cause you when I am cranky, don't you Nik?" I sniggered back in his direction, as he turned around, crossed my arms and smirked at him from the ground. My tangled, brown hair was partly in front of my face, it seemed to increase the dramatic effect as I was sure I looked like a patient in a psychiatric hospital.

"I'm bothered because you're my wife Elena, do not be silly..." he pouted in my direction. I immediately scoffed at his words.

"I did not seem to be your wife last night or the nights before, since you have not been bothered to come home," I fumed, narrowing my eyes in his direction.

"I had my reasons," he muttered at me, as he rolled his eyes.

"You always do, don't you Nik?" I shot back in his direction, still frowning.

"Why are we even still together Niklaus?" I asked my husband, in utter confusion. It was the plain truth. I had no idea why he would even remain with me, he could have all the whores in the world, both with his charm and compulsion. I thought of myself as a pretty good lover, but I could not have been that good. Which brings me back to my former question, the one I always asked and the one I never got an honest answer to.

"I love you, but you already knew that sweetheart," he whispered as he walked over to me and cradled me in his arms. I closed my eyes for a mere second, almost losing myself in his embrace. Even after all our fights, and scowls, and yells, he never ceased to make me feel better with his hold. And in that moment I loved him for showing me comfort, even though he had no idea what was wrong with me or why was I upset for, he simply held me.

"Marcel has left us Nik... and there was nothing I could do to stop him," I sobbed on his chest as I held on to him.

Even though Marcel was long gone, I knew he had a better chance already without Klaus looking over him every second of every day for the rest of his life. I only hoped he would find happiness in the midst of the war, maybe find someone who would care for him, perhaps even love him.

"What do you mean left us? How is this possible?" he yelled in surprise. He released the hold, his hands had on my body, and moved me away so he could stand up. I closed my eyes, as he did so.

"He left for the war," I started to sob. He marched out the door and I went after him, knowing very well what he was about to do.

I tried to hold him back, but he was far too strong, so I kept running after him in attempt to stop him. We came to Marcel's room. He stared at the door for a long moment, before he walked in.

"Damnit Nik, DO NOT trash his room!" I yelled at my husband as I saw glimpses of him blurring frantically around the room, as objects flew across the room, breaking and shattering. I did not want his room to be gone, it was the only memory I would probably have of him.

"NIK!" I screamed even louder the second time, which finally seemed to get his attention. He was as torn as I was, maybe even more in some ways. He had finally found someone to teach, to mentor. He had created a bond with Marcellus, a bond Niklaus rarely rarely seemed to forge with others. He had let someone in and they had let him down once more, just like Elijah and I had multiple times over the centuries. He probably had thought Marcellus would never turn him away, but he had.

As Niklaus stopped trashing Marcel's room, he dropped to the ground, his face looking blankly at the ground. At that time I empathized with him, I knew exactly what he was feeling. We had been both Marcel's parents and we had both lost our son, even if he had not been our blood.

I stood up from my bed and walked slowly to my husband. He suddenly looked up as he had not previously noticed that I was in the same room as him, until then.

"Elena..." he whispered, his face utterly heartbroken. I dropped to the floor right next to him and embraced him, only hoping that my arms would give him the same comfort his gave me.

One day as I was sprawled in my bed I decided to go downstairs and talk to Elijah as a first step to my plan. A plan I had all the time in the world to formulate, during all the days and nights I had spent in that bloody bedroom.

"Dearest Elijah…" I spoke to my brother-in-law as I marched down the grand staircase, towards Elijah who was reading a book in the living room. It was a rare sight, I knew he loved books, but he did not have the time. Not since he came back anyway; my husband had managed to also persuade his older brother into helping him break his bloody curse.

He looked up to me and he looked like he had seen a ghost. He was not expecting to see me out of my bedroom, let alone all dressed up, with my hair in place after all those years hauled up in my bedroom. Poor Elijah, having to deal with my crazy fits and outbursts I usually had when Niklaus was away – how many times he had lulled me to sleep. I sighed as I walked towards my in law.

"Good morning, Elena, so pleased to see you here…" he spoke in his polite manner, as he gave me a soft smile. I returned his kind smile.

"How's the search for the doppelganger going? You know she will not appear for a hundred years, of course?" I asked Elijah, as I sat down on the lounge, across from him, crossing my ankles lazily. I had heard numerous conversations between Niklaus, Marcel and Elijah as I crawled near the bedroom's door in my under clothes. I truly looked like a mad woman, my hair all messed up, desperately needing a wash, and in a long white shift. I looked like a corpse, which described exactly what I felt on the inside.

"Yes we all know that sweet Elena, but you know my very kind brother will stop at nothing. I am very sure you know that by now," he replied back, as his eyes darted from the book towards mine a couple of times, before they rested back on his book. I exhaled in exhaustion and slumped back into the sofa. How I hated Niklaus' crazy infatuation with the damned curse. It was one of the main things which had drove me to madness.

"We both know you did not come down to discuss my brother's petty curse… out with it," he continued to say as he smiled to himself, his eyes still not bothering to leave the book. What was he reading anyway? I thought as I tried to glimpse at the title. I sighed in exhaustion once more, before I looked up to Elijah with my best innocent face.

"Where can I find a witch, dearest Elijah?" I asked him, with a little innocent smile. His eyes looked up from the book at once, as he narrowed them in my direction.

"What is your business with the witches?" he shot back, his voice filled with suspicion.

"I need a friend Elijah… this house is suffocating me!" I lied to him as I rolled my eyes.

"Why would you need a witch for the sole purpose of being your friend? That's preposterous!" he told me as he raised his voice. Luckily, Niklaus was not around, I made sure he was not. I would not get out of this one easily.

"With my darling husband, you never know when a witch might come handy Elijah!" I told him, appearing shocked that he would dare to suspect otherwise. I had to make my façade believable.

Elijah pursed his lips for a long moment, and his eyes darted around the room. I was getting impatient, it was not a very hard question to answer. Not with Elijah's ties with the people of the quarter, if you could even call them people.

"Fleur-de-Lis Sanitorium," he simply told me, his eyes still narrowed in my direction, almost glaring. My eyes widened, it was the hospital. Why would I find a witch there? I expected the witch to be at the cemetery, knowing the New Orleans clan practiced ancestral magic. Then again, she probably would not be at the cemetery all the day long. Of course, a witch had to have something else to do.

"Alright… what does the witch look like?" I asked curiously.

"She's a nurse… the rest you can certainly figure out on your own, sweet Elena," Elijah said, before giving me one last look and his eyes permanently bore into the pages in front of him. I knew he was not going to answer any further questions. So I pursed my lips, looked around the room in a bored manner, before I lazily walked back up the stairs.

I had asked one of my chambermaids to fetch me a nurse outfit in order for me to blend with the other nurses and volunteers at the hospital. I was quite delighted that Niklaus had not yet managed to find out about my plan to visit the hospital. Although, I had not managed to see him most of the past few days. It was obviously that curse. What else could it be? He probably did not even have time for his whores because of it these days, I smiled at that thought.

For once he was at home, not gallivanting around with Marcel, leaving me alone to rot. Just my like, it was the day I had finally decided to leave the hellhole that had become my house.

"Niklaus!" I called out from the top of the stairs as I pulled my cloak safely around my body, covering my entire attire.

"Yes sweetheart?" he called back. Ah, one would easily think we were such a sweet married couple, if only they knew.

"I'm going out for an errand, is that a bother?" I responded back, secretly hoping he would not reject my offer so I would not have to go through to plan B.

"Go on have at it Lena," he shouted back in a rather annoyed tone. Hmm, I thought to myself. Why was he not bothered? It was the curse, it had to be. Then again why was I worrying about the fact that he had let me get out the house for once? I should have been delighted, why wasn't I then? I shook it off and got into the carriage that was waiting for me just outside.

The carriage dropped me off just a few minutes away from the hospital. I did not want to be recognized as the Duke's wife. I wanted to blend in with the others. The Spanish influenza had become the epicenter of death in our city in early October, only two weeks prior to my visit to the hospital to meet the mysterious witch.

Our family was not bothered by the epidemic of course, we were all immortal. Our servants, did not leave our mansion, which provided them safety and protection from the disease.

I entered the hospital, where nurses and physicians were running all over the place. Sick and dying patients were lying on metal, cold and hard beds, which were probably their death beds. I was never one to be squeamish or anxious around sick people, actually I found the fragility of the human life quite strange, even seeing as I was a human myself. But meet your end so sudden, especially an end like the influenza was bizarre.

People were coughing and spitting blood, while nurses were running around frantically, all trying to help and comfort patients, especially seeing that there was no hope for them. All they could do was ease their pain.

I saw an old woman coughing loudly not far from where I was. I slipped off my coat, not bothering to pick it up and went to her. There was a piece of cloth hanging from a bar of the bed she was lying on. I soaked the cloth in a small bowl filled with bloody and muddy water. I looked around the room, all the bowls' water were in the same state. I sighed and lifted the cloth to the old lady's forehead. She continued to cough and cough for a long time, before she finally stopped. She gave me a faint smile, before she erupted in more coughs. I held her hand, before her body finally gave in. At least she was at peace, I thought, before I moved on to another patient.

At least taking care of others felt like it was making me sane again, after Niklaus had turned my sanity to insanity.

I saw a red-headed nurse, whispering softly to an old man who was coughing blood. She passed him a little cup and his coughing seemed to have stop and his lungs were resting. My eyes widened at the sight, it had to be her.

The old man I was tending to was near his end, I motioned to the red-headed lady to step in and she did. She brought another cup with her and it seemed to put him at ease.

"Nice trick… works just like magic," I whispered in awe, clearly hinting at her talents. Her bright green eyes widened at my words and she tried to pretend that I had not fazed her with what I had said, but she failed of course.

"Well then again what to except from a New Orleans practicing witch?" I murmured to her, with a little smile. Her mouth formed an 'o' and she was clearly taken aback. She was scared, I could see it in her eyes. I was merely playing with her.

"That was a simple herbal remedy. It would not stop the inevitable, but it should ease his pain and calm his lungs," she whispered back, as his eyes darted from the patient then back to me.

"It's alright... your secret's safe with me," I told her back. She gave me a slight nod and was about to walk off.

"What's your name?" I asked the red-headed beauty. It was quite a waste for her to be in a hospital, able to die of influenza at any second, but she was passionate about saving and nursing others.

"Genevieve..." the nurse whispered with a little smile.

"Well Genevieve I have a proposition for you... I shall keep your secret, but you must come to the jazz joint tonight… We could all use some fun after a dire day such as this one, what do you say?" I told her. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"The jazz joint? I have never been to such a place! How did a nurse like you get an invite?" she asked as her eyes narrowed in my direction. I could tell that she was suspicious, but also quite excited about the ball.

"Well you must keep my secret too then, I am the Duke Mikaelson's wife," I whispered in her ear with a giggle. It felt like the gossiping the noblewoman usually did when they came to our banquets. Gossips which was mostly centered on me.

The pretty red head put her palm over her mouth, to stifle a gasp. Then her gasp turned into a little giggle.

"I think we're going to be fast friends dearest Genevieve," I told the nurse with a sly smile, knowing exactly what I had to do to get what I wanted.

She returned my smile with a kind one, and continued to take care of the dying patients.

It was late in the afternoon when I made my way back to the Mikaelson manor. I wondered what Niklaus and Marcel had been up to all day long. They were staying in town for the week's end for sure since we were all to attend the Jazz Joint I had earlier invited my newest friend to.

I opened the mansion's gates and walked into the courtyard as I entered the great house from the back. I walked up the grand staircase and into my room. I opened my bedroom's room with a loud bang and inhaled sharply.

Of course I knew what to expect. Niklaus and I had not been intimate for a long time and he was not forcing me to bed him. Which of course lead him to search for pleasure somewhere else.

A dark skinned woman, while black, short, curly hair was by his side. She shot me a 'whoops' look, while Niklaus crossed his arms with a sigh before he rolled his eyes.

"Oh so now you're rolling your eyes and huffing! Do you want me to leave so you can finish up your little gathering Nik?" I shouted in the room.

Niklaus sleeping with other women was no longer a surprise for me, but I still got riled up every damn time. In a way I could not entirely blame his actions. An insatiable man like Klaus was certainly not going to hold back on these type of activities, just because his wife was having a mental breakdown.

His sexual activities with other women no longer hurt me, I knew it was all physical. But I still hated the humiliation and anger it brought about with it. Especially when I saw the smug women by his side, looking proudly in my direction.

"Calm down sweetheart…" he told me a low tone as he glanced cautiously at the woman next to him. It was as if he did not want to anger her. My eyes widened at his queer gesture.

"Who is the woman? What's her name?" I questioned him, jealousy quite clear in my tone as I looked in her direction.

"Lana, she's the Queen of the crescent werewolf pack in New Orleans," Niklaus explained to me slowly. The woman smiled at the way he had introduced her.

My eyes widened once more at his revelation, and I instantly bit my lip.

"A Queen fit for a King…" I whispered to myself, as I recalled what he had once told Marcellus about me. I shook my head repeatedly, before I ran out of the room.

"Elena!" he shouted after I had run off, but I kept going.

I ran to the nearest guest room I could find and sat on the edge of its bed.

I willed myself not to cry. I would not be broken down again. I would not let him break me again, not when I had made such progress. I held my arm against my stomach and tried to calm myself.

I walked up from the bed and towards a large mirror. My brown eyes were shimmering, ready to burst in tears. I pursed my lips together, closed my eyes and I took a few deep breaths.

Just a few more moments and I would be rid of him forever, I thought as I opened my eyes and thought of an alternative universe where he and I had never met.

I remember remaining in the guest chambers for the longest time, merely sitting alone on the edge of the unfamiliar bed. Before I looked towards the window. It was dusk and it meant it was time for dress up. I had to pull myself together once more. Just like I had done in the morning when I went to the hospital, even after all those years spent in a hellhole. I had to pick myself up and get ready. I would make myself pretty and fake smiles with my husband if it meant to succeed in my plan.

Elijah, Niklaus and I made our way to the jazz joint that night. The two brothers were overjoyed to see how the city had managed to flourish underneath their control. The influenza was still spreading over New Orleans, but we would later find out that it had reached its peak and the worst was over.

Genevieve and her friend came to meet me shortly after Niklaus, Elijah and I had arrived. The red head was thrilled to be there, while her friend on the other hand, seemed uninterested, even almost narrowing her eyes in my direction.

"Glad you could make it!" I cried in delight as Genevieve and I greeted each other. She beamed at me, in return.

"You too Claire," I smiled politely at Genevieve's friend. She nodded in my direction, as left to mingle with the rest of the crowd. I had no idea what her deal was, but frankly I did not care for a little witch nurse like her. She was not part of the plan and she would not be a mere distraction.

"Let's sit, dearest Genevieve," I told the witch with a smile. She nodded and we both moved to sit at a near table.

"Your family is so different than what everyone else says! I cannot believe it," she cried in delight as she sipped from her glass of champagne.

"Everyone considers us to be abominations, isn't that right?" I told her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. She smiled shyly, and continued to sip from her champagne.

"It's alright, the rumors have little effect on me," I whispered as I saw my husband in the distance.

"Your family is so… elegant," she whispered, cutting me off from my thoughts. I looked back to her, seeing as she was staring at Elijah.

"I have to agree, Elijah is quite elegant…" I told her with a smile and a nod, as we both turned to stare at Elijah. He and Niklaus seemed to be leaving the party in a hurry, just as they always did when an important matter was to surface. I rolled my eyes at them, before I turned back to Genevieve.

"However, I do prefer a bad boy…" she told me as she shyly look down. I had to say I was surprised, I almost envisioned Genevieve with different tastes. I thought that even Elijah was too wild for her, and Elijah was not remotely close to being riotous.

"Genevieve! Who would have thought? If I didn't know any better I'd say you were referring to my husband!" I gasped at her, and she and I both shared a laugh. Of course, I was laughing, I would scratch her eyes out if she the thought of going to Klaus even crossed her mind.

"Seeing as you prefer bad boys, Elijah and Klaus' older brother Aaron would have been just perfect for you…" I told her with a sneer, as I remembered his piercing green eyes and raven hair. I never did like him though, he was always the worst one. I always seemed to imagine him, what Niklaus would have been like with me, if he did not have feelings for me.

"Even Kol would have suited you just fine…" my voice whispered, as I remembered his dark eyes and the way they looked at me. I had not seen them in so long, but I knew meeting with him would only put him in danger, and I did not want him daggered just so that my need to see him would be satiated.

"I would like you to help me find someone who holds an important part to our family sweet Genevieve," I told her with a smile.

"Do you want me to find Kol or Aaron perhaps?" she asked me with her sweet smile.

"Oh, no, I want you to find Mikael, he's my father-in-law. He and Klaus have tons of catching up to do," I told the witch with a little sneer.

A/N: Okay, so I had another looong break. I'm sorry, but finals were crazy! Hope you have not forgotten about me and the story. We're leaving New Orleans very soon. We will not be heading to Mystic Falls in present time for now, we will be wandering around for a while ;) I'll let you guess where we're going next. Hope you're liking the story so far. Please rate and review, and do not hesitate to share your opinions.