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Sabrina leaned in forward on the lounge chair she sat on outside the fitting rooms. She watched as the shop assistance poured champagne into Klaus glass. Sobriety was new to her but she was determined to do whatever she could to lessen the pain on the headaches she'd been getting.
Turned her attention away from Stefan and Klaus who sat on the chairs beside her, she picked up a magazine from the small table not too far away and began flicking through it.
"There has to be more to this dress," Rebekah's voice called out from the dressing room in the clothing store.
"There's not," Klaus replied back.
"So women in the 21st century dress like prostitutes, then." Sabrina looked up to see Rebekah walk out wearing a black knee length drees. "You know, I got dirty looks for wearing trousers."
"You wore trousers so women today could wear nothing," Klaus countered.
"And what is this music? It sounds like a cable car accident."
Klaus expression mirrored Sabrina's as he sighed at his sisters whingeing.
It's dance music," Stefan answered.
"People dance to this?"
"Okay, I've had enough," Sabrina grumbled placing the magazine back on the table.
"The dress looks fine and I think you're being a little over dramatic," she told the blonde as she inclined against the back of the chair.
"There, I've helped. Can I go now?" she turned to Klaus.
"You're not one to keep a human by your side. So you're either sleeping with her or using her as a blood bag, which is it?" Rebekah asked her brother.
"Excuse me?" Sabrina was taken back by the question.
"Neither," he responded. "She's here because our older brother has taken a liking to her."
Rebekah crossed her arms looking between Sabrina and Klaus. "And you care because?"
"I don't. She offered to come." The tone of his voice made it evident he was getting tired of his sister's constant questions.
"Well isn't that sad." Rebekah now addressed Sabrina. "You have nothing better to do than mope around and wait until Nik undaggers Elijah? You'll be long forgotten by then."
Sabrina was a little more than offended by her tone. She looked at the others to see their reaction. Stefan seemed a little surprised at her outburst, while Klaus sat in his seat with a smile as he chuckled.
"I think it might be a bit hard to do that since they're having dream moments together," he said with a smirk, taking a sip from his flute glass.
"Well that is pitiful."
Sabrina bit the inside of her cheek. She was not going be made to feel inferior by someone she just met.
"I don't know where your hostility towards me comes from seeing as I've barely spoken 2 sentences to you," she asserted.
Rebekah was quick to counter argue. "I'm a good judge of character."
"Is that right?" she asked with a little more aggression. "Well then it's either routed in some deep psychological problem or you're just threatened by me." Rebekah scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"But understand this," she cautioned in an authoritative tone. "I don't require your validation to feel worthy. I know my value and anyone else's option doesn't really matter."
Silencing Rebekah she then turned back to Klaus. "I'll meet you back at Gloria's."
Taking a deep breath in to inhaling the city air once outside the store, made her feel like she was no longer suffocating. It wasn't long till a figure across the street caught her attention. Sabrina and the girl made eye contract before she crossed the road to walked up to her.
"Katherine," she greeted.
"Walk with me." She led her away from the store as the turned the corner and sat down on a street bench.
"So what is it you want from Stefan?" she asked the doppelgänger.
Katherine smiled knowing how predictable this was going to be. "You're always one step ahead aren't you?"
Sabrina nodded in appreciation. "The necklace that Rebekah had, it's the one he gave to Elena. The one you took. He knows that and so do you."
"Stefan has to have a plan and I want in."
"And what makes you think he'll trust you?" Sabrina asked.
"Who else would make a better partner in crime?"
"Well then I'd suggest seeing if he's had enough of retail therapy," she said getting up from the bench. "Oh, and be careful, Katherine."
"I didn't think you cared," Katherine said following Sabrina's action.
"Guess you thought wrong."
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"She hates me. I haven't done anything to her and she hates me." Sabrina murmured pacing the length of the Lockwood's living room as Elijah sat and watched from the sofa.
"I thought you told her you didn't care?"
"I don't. I shouldn't. But she's your sister how can I not?" she stopped, turning around seeing him smiling at her. "What?"
"I haven't seen you worried about something so trivial since" He didn't need to finish the sentence.
"It's not trivial." Elijah arched his brows as he stood up from his seat. "Okay it is," she relented with a sigh as he began walking towards her.
"If she wasn't my sister would you care this much?" he asked wrapping an arm around her and moving the front pieces of her hair behind her ear with the other.
"Probably not," she muttered.
Elijah hummed as he pulled her in. "Give her time. Rebekah may come across as mean and spiteful but deep down she's not that different from you."
"Are you calling me mean and spiteful?"
Elijah chuckled lightly at her response. "What I'm saying is that over time Rebekah has built up an emotional wall. You know better than anyone how our family is, she needs time to trust you."
"I wish Klaus would undaggered you instead," she whispered as he held her close.
"He will, in time."
"I don't see why I can't do it."
"I think playing with fire once was enough and I'd like to see you alive the next time I'm not lying in a coffin." He held the ring on her necklace between his fingers.
"It's not fair."
"Patience is a virtue my dear."
She leaned into him as he dropped the ring as Sabrina rested her head against his chest.
"I have something I need to tell you." She pulled away and looked at the concern on his face. "Or better yet, something I need to show you."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
It felt like a small weight had been lifted off her shoulders after talking to Elijah. While he didn't have the answers it was comforting to tell someone that listen and provided support.
The feeling of delight dropped when she walked back into Gloria's bar in what seemed like a heated moment.
"A dead girl with dead friends, if I don't get my necklace back," Rebekah stressed angrily as she sat on the table near Gloria.
"Well, I'll have to dive back in to get the details."
"So dive," Klaus instructed the witch as he walked over to her
"I need more time," she told him as he leaned in on the table Gloria was sat at. "And space. You're harshing my ju-ju."
"We can wait." she looked uncomfortable by Klaus' leering over her.
"I'm sure you can. But that's not what I asked." Sabrina watched the two as she quietly walked in and stood near the bar.
"Hey," Stefan began walking past Sabrina towards Klaus. "Hey, you know, why don't we just come back later. I'm hungry anyway." He leaned into Klaus's ear before continuing.
"I'll let you pick who we eat." It wasn't quite enough to not reach Sabrina who scrunched up her face in disgust as Stefan started making for the door.
The two siblings looked at each other before following Stefan out.
Gloria's head turned and made eye contact with the human girl. "You're in a better mood."
Sabrina shook her head dismissing the comment from the witch. She turned around reaching for a bottle and an empty glass from behind the bar before taking a seat on one of the stools.
"This necklace," Gloria began as she stood up from her chair.
Sabrina was grateful she couldn't see her face as it tensed up at the mention of the lost necklace that Elena wore. She managed to calm herself before Gloria stood beside her.
"You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?"
"Why would I?" she asked putting her retelling of Shakespeare classes to use. Sabrina could tell that Gloria was looking for anything that would tell her otherwise.
Sabrina sighed as she poured the drink into the glass. "You think I'm enjoying this? if you had that necklace all of this wouldn't be dragging on. The way I see it, it's in my best interest you find it. So stop making judgey eyes at me and back the hell off," she lied through her teeth.
Sabrina held her facade as Gloria held up her hands and walked away.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"I thought you were going to lay off drinking for a while," Stefan's voice called out from behind her.
"I'm weak, sue me," she replied as he walked towards to counter and began pouring himself a glass.
Sabrina watched the liquid flow into the glass. "Draining a body of blood just didn't do it huh?"
Stefan smirked as he put down the bottle and looked at the fake smile on Sabrina's face. "I'm a vampire Sabrina, it's what we do," he told her.
"It's not what Stefan used to do," she said turning on the stool. She passed Gloria on her way out to the door.
"You didn't tell Klaus. Why?"
"The necklace is a talisman from the original witch herself. I want it."
"I'd hate to have to tell Klaus what a liar his sidekick is."
"There's the girl with the necklace. You love her. You'd do anything for her."
"Don't do this. Don't do this."
"She's the doppelgänger. She's supposed to be dead, and that's why Klaus can't make hybrids, isn't it?"
Sabrina had a smile on her face. Whatever supernatural energy was in this place it didn't cause her headaches anymore. The visions were back both in clarity and length.
The smile fell as soon as it arose as she thought back to what she saw. Knowing she couldn't go back in into the bar she opted to make a phone call in a more seclude place.
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"Wasn't expecting a call so soon," Katherine's voice said on the other end of the line.
"I need your help. Stefan's plan has run into a complication."
"Where am I meeting you?"
"Gloria's bar."
"I'll be there in a few minutes," she said hanging up.
Putting the phone into her pocket she walked around the outside of the bar. To a complete stranger she looked completely mad but she didn't have time to worry as uneasiness set in about what Gloria would do to Stefan.
"You can stop looking like a nervous wreck." She stopped and looked up to see a familiar face. Katherine gave her usual smile before walking into the bar.
Sabrina waited few minutes before she leaned in closer to the door of the bar. Not hearing Gloria, she pushed open the door and walked in to see Stefan putting his shirt back on and Gloria's body lying beside Katherine on the ground.
"You killed her?" she asked walking over to the pair.
"What else was I going to do?" Katherine replied as Stefan covered Gloria's body with a large piece of cloth.
"So Stefan," she started turning her attention to him. "I've been thinking about your diabolical plan."
"Oh. Do tell," he said sounding anything but ecstatic as he covered the body with the sheet.
"Well, you must know that Klaus is too paranoid to ever fully trust you. But the sister, she loves you like it was yesterday. She's the easier mark. But you can't just pretend to care, because Klaus will know better, so you do the opposite. You bond with him; make her feel left out. That will only make her want you more."
"Oh! So you mean, I'm, uh, I'm taking a page out of the Katherine Pierce playbook."
"The only question is why, Stefan? I mean, I get it, you want to keep Klaus away from Mystic Falls, but...What else do you expect to get from it?"
"You know what's funny?" he asked as he stood up. "You keep talking to me like I actually trust you enough to tell you anything."
"Oh, come on, Stefan, we're beyond that," Katherine said taking a step forward. "I saved you from Hilda the high voodoo priestess."
"Well actually Sabrina called you, so technically she was the one who saved me." He turned to look at the brunette who stood near the table.
"Okay now you owe me. And I want to cash in. So, what is it you're planning?"
Stefan took a moment before answering. "I knew them, back in the twenties. They were running from someone. Someone who scared them."
"A Hunter." Stefan nodded. "I heard stories about him centuries ago."
"Don't you want to know why an Original vampire who can't be killed is afraid of a vampire Hunter?" Stefan questioned.
Sabrina slightly narrowed her eyes as she let the conversation pay out between the two of them.
"If you're planning on making a move against Klaus, I want in."
"That's good," he said giving her arm a squeeze. "It's good to want things, Katherine."
"Stefan," Katherine began as he turned away.
"Katherine. I'm in this alone," he told her picking up Gloria's body. "If you're looking for a diabolical partner in crime, I suggest you look elsewhere."
Sabrina watched as he walked out. Moving forward she stood in front of Katherine.
"His name is Mikael." Katherine opened her mouth but was cut off. "North Carolina. That's all I have. Damon might know more," she said before heading towards the door.
"Sabrina," Katherine called causing her turned her head. "Thank you."
"Be careful." She echoed her earlier warring as she walked out.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
It seemed like a habit now for Sabrina to walk into tense moments between Stefan, Klaus and Rebekah.
"He's not with us, Nik. I can sense it."
Sabrina became ridged as she watched knowing that Stefan has somehow given something away.
"She's wrong." Stefan tried to reason. "Klaus."
It didn't work. Stefan tried to take a step forward just as Klaus sped over and snapped his neck.
Sabrina stood frozen in shock as the hybrid turned to look at her. Getting a clear look at his anger Sabrina suddenly felt a wave of fear wash over her.
"Please don't," she cried out taking a step forward as he walked towards her.
"Like I said, pitiful. Then again, I do suppose Elijah's weakness was the pretty damsel in distress."
"I'm sorry if being fearful for my life is a hindrance on my character," she spat out at the blonde, forgetting the hybrid standing in from of her for a moment.
"I'll give you 5 minutes to say goodbye." The grin Rebekah's face didn't go amiss.
"What? No Klaus, you can't," she called after him as he turned to walk around her.
"Klaus!" she followed. "This isn't fair, what have I done!?"
She jumped back a little as he turned around and sped over to her. "Why was Stefan asking about Mikael."
"Why do you think?"
"Now's not the time to have an attitude, love." That reeled her back in.
"I didn't know his plan until a few minutes ago, I swear," she told him. "If that really is your weakness and if I was looking for a way to bring you down don't you think I would have said or done something by now?"
She took a brief pause before continuing. "I said this to Elijah when I first met him and I'm now saying it to you. Please don't include me in whatever this is. I was never a part of it and I don't want to be. I haven't gone against you once on this trip, I've done what I can to try and help you even when I didn't need to."
It was happening all over again. She was the closest to being back to how she was before all this and it was going to be taken away.
"Oh, please tell me you're not falling for this," Rebekah pipped in coming up behind her.
"Please Klaus, don't take this away from me." She could see him muse it over. Whatever she was doing it was working.
"Stay here with Rebekah, I'm getting the car," he said before walking off.
Sabrina turned around to see a different look on Rebekah's face.
"So that's how you did it." The two walked back inside the warehouse.
"I don't know what you mean." She replied leaning against the wall, glancing down at an unconscious Stefan.
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A/N: NEXT CHAPTER WE'RE BACK IN MYSTIC FALLS!
-Amara.