Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this extremely long chapter, and we're close to Klaus and Val officially meeting! Ahhh! I also hope you are all doing very well! This chapter is three episodes long, so I hope you guys like it!

Disclaimer: Still don't own TVD or any of their characters and storylines.

The hot water felt amazing, and Val took a deep breath, breathing in the steam of the bathroom. The scent of pineapple's and coconuts from her shampoo, roses from her body wash, the cleaner she'd just used on the shower not too long ago.

She sat there for a few more minutes before finally shutting off the water, immediately wishing for the cocoon of warmth again as the cold air met her skin. As much as she wished she could sit in the stream of hot water for another hour or so, A) she couldn't afford that water bill, and b) she'd be late if she didn't get out soon.

They were all dealing with Katherine being out of the tomb; it wasn't ideal, and Val could've kicked herself for not voicing her concerns and confusion over the doppelgangers claim Elijah's compulsion would stay. She knew better than anyone ignoring your gut could be dangerous, and at times, deadly.

But she couldn't dwell on that; dwelling never changed anything in the future. Right now, she was getting dressed and heading over to the grill to dance a little with Jenna, Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline. The young huntress hadn't danced, like really dance, in some time, and she missed it. So, why not take a chance to let loose while they were in between bad guys?

She walked through the doors of the only bar in town not even thirty minutes later, now clad in a grey, tight-fitting crop top, her trust leather jacket, ripped skinny jeans and her favorite heeled booties. Loud music filled her ears as she entered, the small crowd gathered dancing along. She had to admit, the song sounded pretty good. She wasn't much of a modern rock fan, but the guys had talent. As she weaved her way through the crowd, ignoring some of the more disgusting looks she got aimed her way, a relieved smile slipped across her face when she spotted the trio of girls, blonde, brunette, and black hair bouncing to the beat. Sneaking up behind them, she reached out and tased Elena's sides, laughing out loud as the teen jumped and squealed.

"Oh, Val!" She cried, laughing along with Bonnie and Caroline, "You scared me!"

"Glad my stealth skills are getting better." Val teased, catching the way Caroline's smile seemed forced. "Oh, no, what did I miss? And where's Jenna?"

Bonnie grimaced and nodded towards the bar, where the strawberry blonde in question could be seen next to Rick; the two were clearly arguing. Val sighed, the night had just begun, and there was already boy drama.

Men ruin everything.

Before she could start towards them, Jenna was storming back towards the group of girls, slipping her jacket back over her shoulders. Val met her halfway, biting her lip at the stormy look on her friends face.

"Should I ask?" She probed, knowing Jenna probably wasn't feeling very openly emotional. Just as she suspected, the older woman shook her head.

"Not unless you're ok with listening to my drunken rambling." She muttered, but her voice was overpowered by loud cheering near the end of her sentence, the whoops and screams thundering over the room as the band finished. Turning back around, her eyes widened as Caroline finished handing her jacket to Elena and was then bouncing off towards the stage, loose blonde curls swinging over her red-and-white polka dot top.

"What's she doing?" Elena voiced Val's own question as Caroline jumped up on stage, grabbing the mic.

"This isn't gonna end well." Jenna stated flatly, and while the huntress would normally nudge her for such negativity, she also found herself doubting if this was such a good idea. Caroline was brave, but was this bravery, or impulsiveness?

"Let's hear it for the band!" Caroline called into the mic, inspiring another round of cheers and applaud. Once it died down, she took a deep breath before speaking again. "So, there's this guy, and he told me to tell him how I fell about him." She giggled nervously, "Like it's so easy. Y'know, just cause I talk a lot doesn't mean I always know what I'm talking about."

Amen, sis, Val mentally agreed, catching one Matt Donovan as he paused in his busboy duties to watch the stage.

"Ah, like now, when I'm feeling loopy, and unsure how to express myself…" Caroline trailed off, and the group all winced, looking at each other. This definitely wasn't going to end well.

"I can sing!" The blonde suddenly exclaimed into the mic, and Val's eyes widened in shock.

Oh, no…

"Sing?" Bonnie asked worriedly, but the other three didn't have an answer for her. Val herself hadn't even known Caroline could sing. But right as she was wondering when the young vampire had gained the hobby, she watched the singer of the band reach for the mic, looking unimpressed. Before he could, though, Caroline turned, staring straight at him, her lips moving quickly. Val's shoulders tensed.

Care, that is one very dangerous game to play.

Soon, the music started up again. The group all fidgeted nervously as they waited for their friend to start, ready to rush her out of it didn't work out like she was clearly thinking it would.

But they wouldn't need to.

As soon as the teens lips opened, Val's jaw hit the floor. Caroline wasn't just good, she was amazing. A bright, proud smile came across her face, heart swelling in pride at the sigh in front of her. The pure emotion and talent in her voice was insane.

Before she could start cheering, Matt was hopping up on stage. Val felt her heart skip a beat in anxiety, wondering how he would react as Caroline stopped singing to face him. The notes of the music still filled the room as the boy didn't say anything, only grabbing her face and pulling her in to kiss her.

Val cheered loudly with everyone else, applauding like a mad woman. "Yeah, get it, Care!" She cried, and Bonnie playfully nudged her. Val wasn't sure she had ever been so proud of the girl, watching in glee as Matt dipped her and brought her back up to kiss her again.

The night wore on, and Val was actually having a good time. Not that she wanted to jinx herself, but she had shed her jacket and was jumping up and down and wiggling her hips to the beat, giggling at how tipsy Jenna was getting. She didn't drink, of course, but had quickly discovered that it was quite easy to get drunk off the atmosphere. The music flooded her veins, filling her up, making her brave and bold.

It was mid-turn when spotted them.

Jonas was there. Not celebrating, no, he was standing over Bonnie, speaking in a low tone with an enraged look on his face and was clearly threatening her. She felt her spine prickle and abandoned the dance floor immediately, her heels clacking loudly as she jogged over to them, the slight sheen of sweat on her skin glancing off the overhead lights. As she neared them, she could hear Jonas speaking.

"If you don't tell me where she is, I swear I'll-"

"Hey!" She interjected harshly, startling the two. Before either could react, she grabbed Bonnie's arm, putting herself in between the currently-powerless young girl and the older man. "What the hell are you doing, Jonas?"

"My son is dead." That one sentence actually threw Val for a loop, and her lips parted in shock as she stared at the man in front of her. "Luka, he's dead."

"Jonas, I…" she trailed off, unsure of how one could even say anything to lessen that pain. "I'm so sorry-"

"And your friends killed him." He growled out, his eyes going so dark, they were nearly black.

"Look, whatever happened, I'm so sorry, but I'm sure they didn't-"

Without waiting for her to finish her sentence, he swooped his out towards the stage, and there were several panicked cries as the lights in the grill all shattered and died, glass and sparks raining down on the crowd. The huntress turned back to him, eyes narrowing.

"I know you're upset, Jonas, but you can't hurt these people!" She responded, her fear of possible injuries growing. She knew that the man in front of her was blind with grief and anger, he wouldn't flinch at killing someone if it meant achieving his goal. She'd seen it before.

Without even flinching, he shot his hand out again, sweeping it to the side. Glasses of alcohol on the bar followed his movements, smashing their contents all over the wood. A fire soon followed, and panicked screams rose from the patrons. Val knew she couldn't try to talk to him anymore; he was a danger to everyone around them.

She grabbed the only weapon she had, a stake strapped to her back underneath her top, the wood rough against her palm as it went down to his neck. But he was ready for her, a warlock almost twice her age, and caught her hand with midair with literal magic. He gave a mere flick of his hand, like waving away a fly, and then she was airborne, the world speeding past her too fast for her to yell out. A pain-filled cry left her lips as her body smacked against the grill's brick wall hard and sent her down to the floor. She struggled to push her hands underneath her as her left shoulder and upper back screamed in pain. A groan pushed its way up her throat as she got to her feet, watching as Matt ran to Bonnie, who was also on the ground.

"Get her out of here!" She ordered the teen boy as he pulled the witch to her feet, struggling to right herself. The two were headed towards the door and she started searching the floor around her, but she couldn't find the stake, and she didn't have time to be thorough. She could already see Jonas confronting Stefan and Elena. But before she could reach them, a blonde and gray blur slammed into Jonas hard, sending him to the ground. She bolted towards the pair, grabbing their arms.

"Go, go!" She cried, pushing them ahead of her. She knew without even needing to ask that it was Katherine, not Elena, that she was pushing out the door. But to keep up the charade, she kept it to herself.

As they entered the cold night air, Matt ran past them back inside. "No, Matt, wait!" She cried, grabbing onto his shirt, but his momentum pulled the fabric from her fingers as he sped back inside to get his girlfriend. She started after him, but Katherine grabbed her wrist.

"Don't, Caroline can take care of him, we have to finish this plan." She ordered, and Val turned to her in confusion.

"What plan?"

They arrived at the house, the chilled breeze biting into her bare mid-driff and arms. She'd forgotten her jacket at the grill in all the panic, which sucked. It was her favorite one.

"I didn't know you had a belly button piercing." Katherine teased as they walked up the steps. Val rolled her eyes. The piercing had been a bit of an impulsive, and maybe stupid, decision on her last trip to San Antonio. One of her old foster siblings she still kept in touch with owned a tattoo parlor next to the river walk, and he was pretty damn talented. Val hadn't decided what she wanted her first tattoo to be, but she did know that a naval piercing had been on her bucket list since she first time she saw one at thirteen.

"Just 'cause I don't drink doesn't make me a nun." She muttered sarcastically, eager to get into the warmth of the house. The brunette actually stayed quiet, shocking both the huntress and Stefan, but they both chose not to comment as they entered. Inside, she saw Bonnie and Jeremy look up from the table, rising to their feet and moving to meet them in the entryway. She could tell by the looks on their faces they had no idea it was Katherine with them, not Elena.

Before the pair could even open their mouths to start asking questions, Katherine nodded back at Val and Stefan. "They'll explain." She stated shortly before starting up the steps. Val turned to the pair.

"When did you two get here?"

"Like a few minutes ago, why?" Jeremy asked.

"Did you check the house?" Stefan jumped in, and Bonnie and Jeremy both narrowed their eyes in confusion.

"Why would we check the house?"

As if to respond to his question, a loud thump and shouts of pain upstairs made the group jump. They all bolted up the steps towards the sound, running in just in time to see Jonas on the floor, dead, with blood pooling around him as Katherine licked his blood off her face. It had smeared onto her chin, and Val could see her fangs still hadn't retracted, and were threatening to pierce her lower lip.

Bonnie gasped, rushing to crouch next to the dead man's side. "You didn't have to kill him!" She protested angrily, but the doppelganger rolled her eyes.

"Actually, I did." She smirked, meeting Stefan and Val's eyes. But before Val could even open her mouth, Jonas shot into a sitting position, causing the group to jump back slightly in surprise and grabbing onto Bonnie's head, staring into her eyes with an intensity that seemed to shake the room.

"Get off, get off!" The young witch screamed, and Stefan beat Val to the punch. Lunging forward, he jerked the warlocks head harshly to the right, and a loud, sickening SNAP! filled the air before he slumped over, 100% dead this time.

Katherine put her foot on his chest, her eyes wide in shock as the three looked at each other, clearly thinking the same thought.

How the hell did he do that?

NEXT EPISODE

When she woke up the next day to the twenty-seven missed calls on her phone the next morning, she knew she'd messed up. She'd decided to skip training that morning in favor of giving her injuries a small break, (she'd outright denied blood, her chance of dying was a little too high at the moment) but had forgotten to plug her phone in. Once she did, she got the worst news of her life.

Since Petrova women had a talent for just absolutely destroying everything and everyone in their path, she wasn't sure why she was so shocked Isobel had shown up at the Gilbert house and outed to Jenna a massive part of their cover up. Half of the calls were from her best friend, another six were from Elena, and the rest were from Rick. She immediately dialed Jenna, but the blonde was already waiting for her.

"Did you know?" Were the first words Val heard once Jenna had picked up the phone, and the huntress felt her stomach drop in a mix of shame, guilt, horror, and sorrow. She stumbled over her words, unsure of how she could even begin to justify what was going on.

"Jenna, listen, it isn't-"

"So you did know." Her best friends voice was uncharacteristically dark and incredibly hurt, and Val felt her heart physically break as she realized she was part of the cause.

"Please, Jen, wait, if you hear the whole story, I promise, you'll understand-"

"I don't want to hear the whole story, Val. Because all I can think about is how my niece, my boyfriend, and my so-called best friend kept this enormous, relationship-breaking secret from me!"

"Jen, just let me explain, I swear, I'll tell you everything-"

"I don't want to hear it, Val, cause you'll probably just lie to me again! I'll be staying on campus, do me a favor, and lose this number!"

The dial tone droned in Val's ear, but she could barely hear it. Now, the huntress rarely cried. She was pretty sure the last time she had cried was when she'd found out Esperanza had been filing for custody again, if she wasn't mistaken.

But every time she cried, she remembered why she avoided it so much. Tears spilled onto her cheeks, running down to her lips and jaw as sniffles forced their way up through her nose. Her chest heaved slightly as she hiccupped, reaching a hand up to run through her hair. She threw her phone onto the couch in anger and frustration, her chest aching like a black hole had opened up, something that could never be filled.

But in the midst of her tears, one thought seemed to grow louder and louder.

John Gilbert did this.

Maybe it was misdirected, but she didn't care. John did this, and he did it on purpose. They had all been planning to break it to Jenna soon, and now, he'd caused all this heartache because he was fucking jealous.

And just like that, her tears slowed. Her sniffles died down, her hiccupping began to subside.

But in its place, fire started to swirl in her chest, leaping into her veins and rising to her head. Her vision went red, and she didn't bother to think about it anymore. Grabbing her keys, she stormed out of the apartment.

She didn't know exactly where he would be, but she had an idea.

The motel wasn't great; in fact, it was actually kinda shitty. But she didn't care, she'd barely managed to keep up the act of being his 'girlfriend' and wanting to surprise him to the guy at the front desk. Stopping in front of his door, she cast a half-hazard look around her to ensure no one was watching before lifting up her foot and kicking it with all her might.

It gave way immediately, the wood splintering and flying into the room as she stormed in. John stood up from the desk to meet her, but he didn't react fast enough. She slammed her fist into his jaw, immediately pissed she didn't hear it break. John staggered back, groaning in pain as she advanced on him.

"You motherfucker!" She growled, bringing up her foot to slam it into his chest as he gripped his face in pain, the force of the kick sending him to the ground. He started to get up, moaning, on his hands and knees, but she was far from done. "I should've killed you when I had the fucking chance!" She swung her foot again, slamming it into his gut. He grunted, dropping again to hold his abdomen. "You just put Jenna's entire wellbeing in danger out god damn jealously?!" Reaching down, she grabbed onto his jacket and threw him, not even able to see through her haze of pure rage to wonder where her strength had materialized from. His back hit the wall, and she advanced on him before he could recover, slamming her forearm over his throat and pressing so hard, his face started to lose color.

"Consider this your last fucking warning." She snarled, backing up just enough to let him suck in a single breath, before bringing her knee and up and directing all the effort she possessed into his crotch. All the breath left his body, and he gripped his balls and stomach, cursing breathlessly. She stepped to the side, allowing him to fall to his knees. Val crouched down, harshly pulling at a fist full of his hair and turning his face her way, observing the new bruises on his face with a sick sense of pride.

"If you interfere again, I will chain you up in the boarding house basement, chop off every single limb and extension of your body, and when you are bleeding out and begging for death, I will slit your throat from ear to ear and look into your eyes as you die like the piece of dirt you are." With that, she shoved him away onto his back, returning to her stance. She scowled in disgust as he rolled on the ground, groaning in pain. "Pathetic." She snarled a final time, before stalking out of the room.

By the time she'd arrived at the house to meet with Damon, her temper had died down, having specifically taken a longer drive than necessary to make sure she didn't hurt someone. It hadn't simmered down by much, but enough to function and keep her head in the game. Her knuckles were split from where she'd beat John into the ground, but she was sure telling everyone that it was from the punching bag was believable enough.

Right as she pulled up to the old, rotting house, Damon was jogging towards her. He jumped in before she could get out, looking both anxious and seriously annoyed.

"John's been pushed down some stairs," he told her, waving his hand towards the road behind them, "you and I gotta get to the Lockwood's, hurry!"

"How the hell did he get over to the Lockwood's?" She wondered, flipping her car around "I just saw him!"

Damon's blue eyes fell on the split, bruised skin around her knuckles, and he smirked. "Gave him a little talkin' to, didn't ya?"

She scoffed as they started speeding back towards town. "Oh, please, don't tell me you've never fantasized about bringing him down a couple of notches, Damon. It doesn't suit you to act all high and mighty."

"Oh, I didn't say that." He disagreed lightly, then he was quiet. She turned to look at him, narrowing her eyes when she saw him staring at her.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just…" he trailed off, then shrugged, smirking. "You look kinda hot in your post-fight, still-pent-up state."

Val felt her cheeks burn, and she scowled. "Yeah, well, don't make me turn my aggression towards you."

Damon's smirk didn't leave, but the rest of the ride was silent, much to Val's relief.

At the Lockwood's, they both slipped in past leaving patrons, mustering up some half-smiles in greeting before Carol Lockwood closed the door behind them, leaving the two alone with herself and the sheriff.

"How is he?" Damon asked, but the sheriff only shook her head, standing to walk over to the mayor.

"He's dead." She informed them grimly. Crouching down, Damon grabbed his hand and looked at his ring, pursing his lips at Val in annoyance. She rolled her eyes in response.

I wish.

"He'll be fine in a couple of hours." Damon told the women, sounding bored. Val turned to him in surprise, was he really going to tell them?

"What are you talking about?" Carol exclaimed, "He's dead!" Her voice dropped to a whisper at the last word, but Val only stood, brushing off her jeans.

"So, here's the deal," she started, "His ring? It's an old family heirloom, it basically protects him from dying a supernatural death." She gestured to the bite marks on his neck as proof.

"He's not breathing, he had no pulse!"

"He will be, trust me." Damon told them flatly, and shifted to grab the man under his shoulders, beginning to drag him away. "We're gonna need a cover story; epileptic fit, alcohol binge, banana peel, whatever." Val followed him, nodding politely to the two women before the two headed out the backdoor.

Back at the boarding house, Val smirked as Damon dropped John's body onto the floor, knowing he was nearing life soon, again. Damon turned to her and nodded at John's face.

"You really went after him, huh?"

The young woman only shrugged, folding her arms. "I don't know what you're talking about." She told him innocently, and Damon chuckled at her before noticing the blood on his hands. Looking disgusted, he headed up to wash his hands in the bathroom, and Val turned away from the body. Hopefully, it wouldn't take too long before the annoying bastard came back to life. They needed to know which Petrova vampire had killed him, and why.

Damon hadn't even been gone five minutes when a loud crash and the sound of Damon cursing in fury made her jump. She raced towards the bathroom just in time to see Damon stalking out, shirtless and looking ready to rip someone's head off.

"Damon, what-?!"

"Katherine's gone, that bitch got the moonstone! And Isobel's got Elena, she's probably taking her to Klaus right now!"

Damon's car screeched to a halt outside the house. If he, Val, and Stefan weren't in such a bad situation, she might've been impressed by it. They all unloaded, starting towards the door.

"You sure this is the house?" Stefan asked, voice strained in panic. Damon looked uncharacteristically somber, and Val couldn't blame him. How could so much have gone so wrong in less than twenty-four hours?

"Should be, it's the nicest foreclosure in town." He answered, but Val could barely think. Apparently, Stefan was in the same boat.

"Swear to God, if she's not here…" he trailed off.

"Don't be such a pessimist." Damon shot back, but even his original sarcasm seemed weak. They busted through the door, met with an empty entryway and parlor. Stefan immediately went for the stairs, throwing a half-hazard explanation of checking the upper floor over his shoulder before he went up the stairs. Val had her stake in her hand in an instant, checking the lower floor with Damon. There wasn't much reason to, though, the house was completely empty. She spied two bags on the floor and nodded to them as Stefan came pounding back down the stairs.

"So, if Isobel's bags are here, then where are they?" Damon asked, gesturing around and Val threw her hands up, at a loss for words. She reached up again, running her hands over her hair.

What the fu-

The thought hit her hard, hard enough it actually felt like someone had punched her. She turned back to the brothers, horror dawning on her face.

"Who would want Katherine, and has the power to compel Isobel to betray her?"

Both of Stefan and Damon's eyes widened, and as if on que, Stefan's phone started ringing. He brought it up to his ear, relief passing over his intense expression.

"Elena?"

Val slowly stepped into her apartment, pushing it shut behind her. She barely had the energy to lock all the deadbolts, and shuffled into her kitchen, intent on a bottle of water and her bed. Today had been the worst one she'd had in a pretty long time, which was saying something, given her current version of normal. Freddie scampered over to her, eagerly licking her legs. He'd grown a little bit, but his paws were still massive compared to his small body, and caused him to trip multiple times as he happily danced around the kitchen as she filled his food bowl.

Elena, Damon, and Stefan had all headed back to the boarding house. They'd invited Val, but she declined. She had no desire to be around John when he woke up, and all the excitement had begun to die down. She felt like her limbs weighed a million pounds.

She had just changed into her pajama's when it happened.

Her necklace heated up so fast, it was like it had been lit on fire. A startled yelp flew past her lips, and she scrambled to lift it off her skin. Her fingers burned as she finally managed to yank the crucifix over her head, tossing it onto the bed. She panted as she massaged the skin just above her breasts where it had been sitting, staring at the golden heirloom in shock. Tentatively, she stepped forward, reaching a out a hand to press against it and pull it away just as quickly.

But the heat was gone, the gold and rubies just as cool as they once had been. Had the heat and pain not been so intense, Val would've thought she'd imagined it.

That's weird, that usually means some type of danger… she thought uncertainly, wondering why her little mental compass hadn't clicked on. Just to be safe, she pulled her phone out, deciding to text Rick. He did, after all, live just a few floors below her.

Everything ok? She typed out, hitting send as she bit her thumbnail, staring at the offending necklace before her phone beeped in response.

Yeah, I'm fine. Why?

She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding before, and her fingers flew across the keyboard.

Nothing, my crucifix must be acting up again. Sleep tight, dude, I hope you're still doing good.

As she lay down in bed, her phone beeped at her again.

It's ok, Valentina, I'm fine.

Now thoroughly exhausted, she flipped it shut and plugged it in before sleep finally claimed her.

Only later would she look back and realize why he was uncharacteristically using her full name.

NEXT EPISODE

The smell of her mocha latte was practically heavenly, and Val found herself bringing her cup to her nose as she sat in front of her laptop. Joe wasn't there today; his daughter was getting married this weekend, so he was taking some vacation time in Tennessee. Of course, that hadn't stopped him from repeatedly texting her instructions and reminders about try-out's in a few weeks since his flight left that morning at four. The coach could only laugh quietly as she did her spreadsheets, knowing he was probably driving his ex-wife insane.

The slowly wore on, and as lunch rolled around, Val stood to join Rick for their daily routine of eating together in his office, as they normally did. She smiled at some of the students as she neared his office, giving a small knock before opening the door.

"Hey!" She greeted brightly, shutting the door behind her. The history teacher looked up from his desk, looking startled. "So, did you bring lunch today, or are we going to have to stop by the cafeteria?"

But her question was met with silence as she neared his desk, and the huntress looked at his face in confusion. He looked surprised, like she'd caught him off guard, and he also seemed to be struggling to answer her question.

"Oh, ummm, I'm actually not that hungry today." He told her, and she cocked her head to the side. When was Rick not hungry? The guy ate so much of her cooking, Jenna had actually once asked her to lighten up on feeding him so much so he wouldn't start getting flabby.

"You sure?" She asked him, eyes narrowing. Something wasn't right about Rick, and it reminded her a lot of how it was when she was speaking to Katherine. Val couldn't explain how she knew the difference between the doppelganger and her younger, human ancestor, but she could. It was like if she just looked at his face, not really focusing, she could tell something was off. But the closer she looked, the more normal everything seemed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Thanks…" he trailed off, and Val felt her eyebrows raise. Was he messing with her?

"Alaric, are you sure you're alright?" She took another step forward, as if to check him out more closely and see if he was unwell, but as she did, her blouse shifted, and her crucifix caught the sunlight. The glare bounced off onto Rick's face, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

"Valentina…" he muttered, his gaze returning to her face. Something in Val's gut dropped, and her heart rate sped up. That familiar little needle in her head wiggled, as if it was trying to spin and point to danger, but something was stopping it.

"Yeah? That's me. Rick, seriously, you're scaring me." She told her friend cautiously, feeling her foot slide back. Why did the room suddenly feel so cold? Why were the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight up?

Suddenly, Rick chuckled breathily, and held up his hands. All of the paranoia and suspense in the air practically evaporated, and Val's sense calmed down. She actually found herself looking around the room, confused and a little freaked as her friend spoke again.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Val. I'm just still kind of upset about Jenna, you know?" He shrugged, still looking awkward and a little tense.

But his words hit her hard; the dark-haired huntress missed her best friend, too. She'd attempted to call and text her multiple times, but she had the strongest feeling that Jenna had blocked her number. So, she was attempting to focus on making the town safe first, and then when her friend returned, maybe they could revisit, and hopefully work things out.

Ok, so it was a shitty plan, but it was all she could come up with on top of all the other shit she had going on.

Sighing, she offered him a small smile and stepped forward, putting her hand on his shoulder. He froze at the contact, but she spoke anyway.

"Look, Rick, I know Jen, ok? She's just upset, and it's hard for her to see past what's happening right in the moment. And, I mean, we were pretty stupid. We should've have tried to keep it from her, and maybe we were all just too cowardly. But, if there's one thing I've learned, is that it's stupid to live in the past. We've got to move forward, ok?"

A strange look flashed over Rick's face, but before she could think too hard about it, he smiled at her. "You know what? You're right, Val. You are absolutely right."

Later that day, she was pacing in the Salvatore's parlor. It honestly felt like she spent more time over here worrying herself sick than she did in her own home. Which, if she had time to think about it, was extremely depressing. But, she didn't have the time, so she mostly kept her anxiety-ridden worries for the future to herself.

Klaus had made his first move; a cheap trick, speaking through a teenager. Luckily, Donna was ok, but Val was aware that she and the other kids at the school were in equal amounts of danger. They were all walking blood-banks, and it made her stomach curl.

In both fear, and fury.

"So, where's Rick?" Damon asked impatiently, tapping his foot. Val was pacing next to him as Stefan, Elena, and Bonnie talked about the threat from lunch that day. Both girls looked pale and jittery, and she couldn't blame them.

"I don't know, he said he'd be here." The huntress shrugged. Not even three seconds later, a soft knock made them all turn their heads to see Rick slipping through the door.

"There you are!" Damon exclaimed as the hunter/history teacher entered, quietly apologizing. "Hey, I need you and Val to make sure I'm on there as a chaperone at the dance tonight; Klaus made his first move."

"Ok, so we find him and then what, hm?" Elena asked, looking around at them, "What's our plan of attack?"

"Me." Bonnie's simple answer made Val look over at her, eyes widening. "I'm the plan. He has no idea how much power I can channel. If you can find him, I can kill him."

Alaric's chuckling made everyone look over at him, and Val narrowed her eyes in confusion. Why did he seem so…different today?

"Well, it's not going to be that easy," he scoffed faintly, "I mean he is the biggest, baddest vampire around."

"He sent a human teen to deliver a message to his one of his intended murder victims." Val shook her head, "He's a coward, is what he is."

Rick looked over at her, eyes narrowing and mouth opening to speak, but before he could, Damon chimed in.

"Alaric's right, I mean, what if he-" he cut off and rushed at Bonnie, clearly going for a surprise attack, but he never even got close. The young witch slammed her hand towards him, launching him backwards into the air and knocking over some furniture on his way. Val's mouth dropped open as he hit the floor, and then she started laughing quietly.

Stefan turned to everyone with an impressed grimace after a moment of just Val's giggles. "Well, I was impressed."

"I'm more than impressed, I think you should practice on Damon a little bit more." The huntress playfully smirked at the witch, and Bonnie smiled back slightly.

"It doesn't matter if he's an Original." She told Elena, smiling confidently. "I can kill him, Elena. I know I can."

If Val wasn't so busy still laughing at Damon, she probably would've noticed Rick's anxious expression as he watched the people around him.

As everyone was leaving, Val stopped Rick and Damon by putting her hands on their arms. Both turned back to her as she narrowed her eyes, speaking lowly.

"Look, I know Bonnie is juiced up and powerful, but are we sure she can handle that power?" She asked them, putting her hands on her hips. "Witch or not, she's still only sixteen."

"Ok, calm down, mama grizzly," Damon sarcastically raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, "Bonnie's a big girl, she knows what she's doing."

"Yeah, maybe Val's right," Rick jumped in, "maybe we should use another plan of attack."

"Like what? Bad news, guys: we don't have one!" Damon exclaimed, narrowing his eyes. "Look, we'll all be there at the dance tonight, meaning we can keep an eye on everyone. Us, the three amigos, the adults! Just relax, alright?"

"Awfully bold of you to call yourself an adult." Val snorted, but then sighed. "Ok, fine. Look, I'll see you guys there." She bid them a quiet good-bye, starting for the door.

"Hey, maybe you could try a sexy-Beatles-fan look, huh?" Damon taunted, "I know I'd love to see you in a short skirt again."

Val didn't say anything, simply throwing her middle-finger over her shoulder before she exited the house. Rick chuckled, still watching the door.

"She's quite the fire-cracker, isn't she?"

Damon looked at his friend strangely, raising his eyebrows. "You're just figuring that out now, bud?" He walked away, not noticing the look in the hunters eyes as he smirked at the front door where Val had left through.

Val was happy that chaperones didn't have to dress up, because she hadn't been planning on it. The sixties weren't exactly a high time in fashion; at least, not in styles she preferred. The girls, however, had begged their favorite faculty member to be involved in some way, so she scrounged up some old clothes and decided on a sexy, female greaser look. Complete with a white, mid-driff wife beater, an oversized leather jacket she'd managed to hunt down a local thrift store, and some very tight skinny jeans, complete with heeled biker boots. Of course, her gun was holstered underneath her jacket and there were two stakes strapped to the inside of it. To distinguish it from her everyday look, she'd applied some blood-red matte lipstick and some smokey eyeshadow, curling her shoulder length hair into a messy, teased look. Reviewing her outfit in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile, just a little. She didn't look half-bad. Starting to pull out her phone to snap a picture, she realized she didn't have anyone to send it to. Jenna wasn't speaking to her, and had most likely blocked her number.

Feeling her good mood dampen, she dropped her phone in her purse and took a deep breath, heading for the door.

She needed to keep her head in the game.

As usual, the party planning committee had gone all out. Bright, colorful lights bounced off the tie-dye decorations, lots of flower power and hippie posters and stands. They'd even managed to carve out a big cardboard hippie van, which was pretty impressive.

She was early; Damon had texted her saying he, Stefan and Elena would be kind of late, and both Caroline and Bonnie weren't known for their punctuality when it came to celebrations. So, she wandered, keeping a careful eye on the kids around her and glaring at the teenage boys, who's eyes went everywhere but her face, until they looked away, red in the face.

"You can't blame them." Rick's voice behind her almost made her jump, and she just shook her head, chuckling.

"Yeah, well, they are just teenagers." She told him, looking around. "Hey, haven you seen any of the kids, yet? I'm not sure how late they'll be getting here."

Rick shrugged, "No, not really, but we might as well make the most of it while we wait."

"What do- hey!" She laughed as her friend grabbed her hand, spinning her. "Come on, Rick, you know I don't dance."

"Well, maybe it's cause you've never had the right partner." He smirked at her, and Val cocked her head to the side. Ok, something was definitely off. Rick was heartbroken over her best friend, and more importantly, he was awkward as hell; he didn't flirt. So, what was-?

Their eyes met, and it happened again.

The environment around her washed away, and was replaced with something she honestly thought was Hell.

There was blood everywhere; thousands of images of bloodies, mutilated bodies flashed in front of her eyes, the smell of death and blood clogged her nose and was enough to make her gag. She heard the screams again, different from Katherine's and the other vampires. These were louder, stronger, more. Screams of horror, crying for help and for mercy, made her stomach curl, the sounds and smells and sights were too much, and for just one second, she tasted blood in her mouth, sliding down her throat, sick satisfaction rising in her chest.

And then it was over. It felt like she'd been physically dropped back into reality, and she stumbled. She would've toppled over if 'Rick' hadn't grabbed her arm.

"Woah, love, are you alright?" He asked her, but Val knew it wasn't him. It was his voice, his face, but it wasn't her friend.

Somehow, she knew she was speaking to Klaus.

A smile forced its way onto her face, and she nodded, shakily running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine! Um," she looked around, her eyes falling on the doors exiting to the outside. "I'm going to go find the kids and tell them the game plan, ok?"

The creepy smile on his face didn't drop as he nodded, but she was already walking away from him. It took everything in her to keep her movements calm, to not rush forward and start yelling for Damon or Stefan. But she simply walked, eyes zeroed on her exit.

She had to lead him away.

Finally, she was in an empty hallway. She couldn't hear any of the kids outside, and the gym was faint, so she assumed that it was safe. Stopping her movements, her gaze darkened.

"That's a neat little trick." She spoke up, then turned to see 'Rick' standing a few feet away. "Let me guess; a witch."

"You think you're the only one who keeps connections to people of use, Valentina?" Klaus/Rick asked, taking a step forward. "I've been alive for over a thousand years; I know how to play the game."

"Pretty balls-y of you to follow me," she taunted, "you're inside a human body. We're on a pretty even playing field right now."

His smirk deepened, looking downright wicked, before he raised his arms out to the side. "Well, then by all means, Valentina, fight me." He took another step forward, "But you should know that killing this body won't do any good. I'll just find another one."

"I know." She fought to keep her cool, even thought she was screaming in her head. The huntress didn't exactly have a plan, she'd never really been in her current situation before. "But you only have the speed of a human."

In his confusion, she turned and took off, heading for the exit outside. His footsteps came pounding after her, and she fought to run faster. Out of the two of them, Val was the best fighter, but Rick was definitely a faster runner.

Knowing she only had so long until he caught up with her, she hooked a left turn, pausing just around the corner. As his shoes smacked against the tile, getting closer, she jumped out, aiming a right hook at his jaw. He dodged, though, grabbing her arm and trying to slam her against the wall. She saw it coming, though, and used the momentum to swing her leg around, hooking his knee and sending him to the ground. Planting her other hand beside him, she cartwheeled her legs over to straddle him and wrapped her hand around his throat.

"I train with Rick, asshole, I know how he fights!"

"Oh, but sweetheart," Rick/Klaus smirked again, a dangerous fire lighting up his eyes, "I've got moves that would blow your mind."

He planted a foot on the floor and forced himself up, using her unstable posture to send her tumbling off him. She rolled backwards, rising to her feet a few feet away from him as he stood.

"Why don't you pull out those weapons of yours, and we make this interesting?" He taunted her, "Might hurt your best friend Alaric, but it would sure be fun, wouldn't it?"

Keeping her gaze leveled with him, she reached up, removing the large leather jacket and leaving her in the mid-driff wife beater, her stomach exposed. She silently thanked the heavens that she'd worn one of her sturdier bra's that day as she tossed it off to the side. The gun and stakes wouldn't do much good, not unless she killed him.

"I'd rather kick your ass the old-fashioned way." Val breathed, and lunged at him.

He caught her fist, stopping her intended throat-punch. She slammed her foot into his stomach, causing him to stagger back, but he righted himself and caught her next kick, pulling her closer and delivering a solid blow to her eye. Her head snapped back, pain spreading like fire across her face and head, but she brought it back right as his hand was going around her throat to squeeze it. Reaching up, she wrapped a hand around his wrist and forced it to the side, using his support of her leg and her hold on his arm to bring her left leg up on his other side and wrapped it around his waist, using the momentum to pull backwards and bring them both down the floor. Her back met the tile harshly, but she pushed through the dull pain and punched him in the face, trying to bring him around to pin him underneath her again. He saw her coming, though, and slammed his fist into her gut twice, knocking the breath out of her lungs. Taking advantage of her momentary shock, he jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm, shoving her forcefully up against the wall of lockers. She yelled out in pain as a combination lock and a latch dug into her spine, further pushing the air from her lungs.

"I would kill you, but I need you alive for now." He mocked her before he slammed her head against the metal doors.

And then it was black.

Val expected a headache when she woke up.

But that wasn't what she got. She was laying on something soft, very soft, and it felt like she was waking up from an incredibly long, impromptu nap. You know, the ones you start off with just to 'rest your eyes' and then you wake up four hours later and you're not even sure what day it is.

Her eyes opened groggily, and she was met with a large, ornate, and very familiar looking room. After a few more seconds, she realized it was her usual guest room she always seemed to wake up in whenever she was at the Salvatore's.

What happened? Where was-?

The events from before hit her with full force, and she gasped, shooting up into a sitting position. But two large hands grasped her shoulders gently, and she turned to see Damon sitting next to her, quietly shushing her rapid breathing.

"Hey, it's ok, you're safe." He told her, and she saw a bottle of water on the nightstand next to her, as well as a large duffel bag sitting on the other side of the room.

"What's- who- it's Rick, he's Klaus! He's in Alaric's body, Damon!" She told him rapidly, but he shook his head.

"It's ok, we know. After he beat the tar out of you, he went after Elena and Bonnie. Don't worry, they're both safe," he interjected when she opened her mouth, "Klaus figured out that Bonnie would die if she channeled too much power, so-"

"Wait, what?!" She all but shrieked, her eyes widening in horror and fury. "Where is she? Damon, if she's dead, I swear to God-!"

"Holy hell, you and Elena are so alike," he exclaimed, looking annoyed, "would you let me finish? She's fine, all we did was trick Klaus into thinking she'd died trying to take him out. She's with Jeremy, so don't kill me, alright?"

Val sighed, panting slightly, and he let go of her shoulders as she scooted up to lean back against the headrest, attempting to calm her heartbeat. The vampire watched her, looking almost concerned.

"How could she not tell me?" She muttered, feeling her blood pressure rising. "How could she go on a suicide mission like that?"

"Cause she's stubborn." Damon replied flatly, then raised an eyebrow at her. "And I'm not sure you have much room to talk; remind me why you thought it would a good idea to take Klaus on alone?"

"He was in Rick's body, Damon," she scowled, "so it was just two humans fighting."

"Yeah, except one had who-knows-how-many years of experience with fighting and martial arts training! Damn it, Val, how am I supposed to count on you to make the right decisions with me if you're too busy trying to fight every bad guy that comes within breathing distance?"

Val turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Wow, Damon, you almost sound scared." She mocked, and he scoffed.

"Of course I'm scared, Rick's been hijacked. If something happens to you, that leaves me alone with all these idiots." He told her, and she shook her head. Then, she glanced around, her eyes falling on the suitcase again.

"Who's is that?"

"Yours." Damon said simply. "This is your current living situation, since Klaus/Rick lives in your building."

"But what about-?"

"Relax, when Elena and Caroline went to get your stuff, they got your dog. He's with Caroline right now, she's thrilled to have something to take care of." He told her, and Val let out a breath of relief, sinking down onto the bed. Damon patted her leg and stood up, walking towards the door.

"Wait, Damon," she called out, standing up out of the bed. He turned around, and she stopped in front of him, pausing. "Thank you."

He smirked down at her, stepping closer. "Wow, I think that may be the firs time I've heard you say that with full sincerity."

Val rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "Ugh, don't make me regret it, yeah?"

They sat there in silence, staring at each other for a few more seconds, before she seemed to realize how close they were standing. Biting her lip, she stepped back, not noticing how Damon's eyes were trained on her face.

"Um, I'm going to take a shower." She told him, grimacing, before walking over to the door to the bathroom. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled. "Goodnight, Damon."

She shut the door behind her, and Damon stared at it for a few more seconds.

"Goodnight, Val." He whispered at the door, then left for his own room.

Hope you guys enjoyed it! Remember to favorite and follow, and I'll see ya next time!