The Departed (3rd revised version)
Summary: What if Katherine had been there to stop Rebekah? What if Elena had chosen Damon, instead of Stefan? Read to find out.
It was a dark night, as Elena spoke to Damon on the phone, Matt driving Elena home in his old, white, Chevy truck.
"If you had to choose, who would it be? Who would get the good-bye?" Damon questioned.
"I choose you, Damon. I love you both, but Stefan hurt me in a way that I don't know I can forgive."
Damon was relieved.
"I love you, too."
"I'll see you soon, Damon."
"Take care, Elena."
Just then, Matt hit the brakes, seeing Rebekah. Before he could hit her, Elena and Matt saw Katherine push Rebekah out of the way.
The truck stopped.
Matt and Elena saw Rebekah and Katherine face off.
Kat hissed at Rebekah.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Alaric killed my brother. He's linked with Elena. Alaric has to die," Rebekah growled and hissed back.
Kat growled.
"I won't let her die. I'll die before I let Elena die."
Kat growled again as a warning.
"Go home or I'll dagger you, Rebekah."
The Original growled before vanishing at vamp speed.
Kat relaxed and looked over at Elena who had gotten out of the truck and was heading towards the vampiress.
"Katherine?"
"Elena, you should go home. I'll make sure Rebekah isn't following."
"What happened?"
"I saved you. Rebekah and the others don't know, but you have Damon's blood in your system. If Rebekah had ran you off the road, you probably would've died. If you die with vampire blood in your system, you'll wake up in transition. I don't want you to have to choose. I want you human."
"Thank you. But why do you care?"
"Because family is everything to me. You are my family. I will not lose my family again. That's why I want Klaus dead. He killed my family 500 years ago to get back at me. I won't let my family die again."
Elena saw it now. The hatred she showed was to keep her dark past from being known. And her actions were to keep family together and hide the pain. But up close, she saw the pain in her eyes.
Elena turned from her and walked towards the car where Matt waited.
Kat watched Elena get in and the truck drive off.
Matt gave the phone back to Elena, which she had had Matt take and speak to Damon.
"Damon, I'm here."
"Elena, what happened?"
"Katherine just saved us both from Rebekah trying to run us off the road to kill me."
"I'm heading back, Elena."
"Damon, Katherine said she would make sure Rebekah doesn't follow. Somehow, I believe her. She said something else. Something about family."
"What did she say?"
"She cares about family enough to protect me and want Klaus dead. I guess he killed her family 500 years ago to get back at her."
"You shouldn't believe her. Everything she says is a lie."
"You didn't see her, Damon. It seemed like she wanted to say more."
"We'll figure it out when I get back."
"Meet me at my place, then," Elena responded.
Later, Damon and Elena were in her living room, Elena seated on the couch, Damon standing by a wall.
Kat walked in.
"Good. You're here," she told them, and then sat next to Elena.
"What do you want?" Damon asked.
Kat looked at him.
"You could be nicer. I'm older than you. Didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your elders?"
Damon looked back at her.
"Respect is putting it mildly considering what you've done."
"What you think I did," Kat corrected.
Elena watched their exchange.
"I'm not welcome, so I won't bother you unless you're in danger. I'm going to leave something with Elena. I know that she'll keep it safe. You're welcome to read it too, since you think I lie."
The Petrova vampiress took out a brown, leather book. It looked very old.
Kat looked at Elena.
"Don't let my journal end up in the wrong hands. I wish I knew if this is a good-bye or not. But I don't. Be careful. Take care of yourself and the others, Elena."
Elena took the journal that she handed to her. Then Elena and Damon watched her leave.
Elena looked down at the tattered, old diary and opened it. When she did, Damon went to sit beside her, and they silently read it.
As Kat left, she knew she had to get somewhere where she wouldn't be found. She knew what Alaric was. She couldn't let him find her.