"We need to send her flowers and champagne and those chocolate covered fruit platter thingies." Elena lists off as she lays on her stomach with furrowed brows.

"And you're completely certain your friend is going to win?" Klaus asks from his spot, laying across her naked back as she nods.

"Yes. I saw it and even if I didn't, Caroline Forbes was born to be Miss Mystic Falls. Obsessive, peppy, perky, organized, she's a judge panel's wet dream." She says wistfully. "You know, my mom won back in her day." She adds with a smile.

"Really? You were raised by someone who won a pageant?" He asks with disbelief, making her roll her eyes with a snort.

"Yeah, you know my dad was a doctor, right? They were the poster children for a nuclear family. We were like the Bradys except Remy and I don't want to fuck each other." He rolls his eyes with an amused smile.

Knock Knock

They hear Stefan call out from the otherside of the door, "Hey, Me and Damon are gonna go get something to, uh, eat…" He trails off nervously as Elena rolls over with a worried expression, pushing Klaus off of her and pulling his henley over her head.

Running to the door and throwing it open, Elena tackles Stefan into a tight hug that he immediately reciprocates, she pulls away with a kind smile. "You'll do great." She assures as he rubs the back of his neck. "Seriously. And if you hurt someone, well I won't care, but I will be here for you." She promises as he smiles at her with a nod.

"Thank you." He says before looking towards Klaus, finding him only in a sheet and looks back to Elena, raising a brow at her lack of clothing. "Damon and I were here all day, and so were his hybrids." He says with confusion as she smirks.

"One way sound proofing. Gotta love witches." She says with a wide smile as he laughs and shakes his head.

"Goodbye, Elena." He says, sending her a fond smile before leaving the door way.

"Love you, Steffy." She yells, laughing when she hears a quiet 'Don't call me Steffy' as she makes her way back to the bed and lays across Klaus's chest.

"Back to my Care Bear, can you paint her a portrait, or is that too much?" She asks, moving her head to face him and finding him staring off into space. "Hey, you good?" She asks, waving her hand in front of his face.

"How do you do that? He asks as she stares at him in confusion.

"What?"she asks, resting her chin on his chest as he looks down at her.

"Ignore the things we do?" He says as she continues to stare in confusion.

"I don't follow."

"Stefan, Damon, myself, how do you ignore all the terrible things we do? Stefan took a life the other day, and regardless of your self proclaimed apathy, you're still a kind, good natured, and relatively innocent person. How do you ignore that?" He asks as she turns on her back with a thoughtful expression before smiling and releasing a small laugh.

"I don't." At his now confused expression she continues, "Loving someone is loving all of them. The parts they hide or are ashamed of. The parts others cower from and the parts they, themselves hate." She turns, resting her head in her hand. "If I were to love you for just these moments, the laying in bed and asking weird questions or when you make fun of shitty movies with me, and not love you when you're being a complete fucking psychopath, then I wouldn't love you, I'd just love one part of you. Every detail. Every bad deed, every forehead kiss, every moment of tenderness, and every innocent life threatened, that's who you are. How could I ever claim to love you, if I hate any part?" She asks, lightly tracing his lips with her finger as he stares at her with an unreadable expression.

"You love me?" He with disbelief as she rolls her eyes.

"Duh." She replies, before straddling his waist with a smirk. "So, are you gonna asks another emotionally loaded question or can we have sex again?" She asks, snapping him out of his daze before a playful smirk spreads across his lips and he flips her over and lightly bites her neck with blunt teeth, making her giggle and push his shoulders.

"Hey, hey, hey, rule number four, remember?" He raises a brow as she grins at him. "Never get high on your own supply." She laughs at her own joke as he smiles down at her.

"You are one strange human." He meets her eyes as she smiles.

"So I've been told." She replies, kissing him before her phone rings.

"One minute. Keep this energy." She says, sitting up and climbing over him, grabbing her phone before grimacing at the caller ID.

"Ahoy, BD." She answers as Klaus looks at her with a raised brow, making her shrug as she hears a sigh on the other end.

"Elena." The voice greets. "What does BD stand for?" They ask with slight amusement.

"Bio dad. But also, big di- um, you know what? Never mind. What's up?" She asks awkwardly.

"Just calling to check on you. How have you been?" John asks with an odd tone as she makes a face.

"Things are great! I'm great. Still top of my class and kicking Sarah Fell's ass at everything I do." She lies with only minimal guilt.

"Really?" He asks with mock surprise as she purses her lips. "That's great, sweetheart. Except I'm standing in your kitchen, where a fairly large white board reads 'Days since Ellie left with that old dude to pay for Kat's freedom'. Isn't that strange?" He asks as she curses under her breath.

"Ugh, dammit Jer Bear, if ever a time to be nondescript! Just listen-" He cuts her off.

"What the hell is going on, Elena?" He asks with anger lacing his tone.

"Alright, obviously this looks bad. But, I can explain." She says in a soothing tone, trying to calm him.

"I'm listening." He states with, she's assuming, a very clenched jaw.

" ... Fine, he hit it right on the head. I left with Klaus in exchange for Katherine's freedom. Look, before you freak, I know you don't approve-" He interrupts.

"Come home right now." He demands sternly as she smiles slightly.

"That's not really how kidnapping works, pop." She jokes as she hears something shattering on the other end.

"This is not a joke, Elena. You need to come home. Anything could happen to you. Klaus is a monster, he could do anything to you!" He shouts with worry, she smothers a smirk as Klaus places lazy kisses across her bare shoulders.

"John, listen to me." She demands in a serious tone, surprising both him and Klaus. "I am very grateful that you care so much about my well being, but it's unnecessary. I may have left some things out in our last few conversations, but you and I both know you would have tried to ruin my plans. I'm fine. I'm safe. And I'm healthy. I will be back eventually, and Jenna makes me call her everyday with updates of my whereabouts." She takes a deep breath. "Speaking of my saint of an aunt, I swear to god, John, if you make her feel like shit for letting me leave, I will do something crazy and Ellie like. Understood?" She asks as she hears John sigh.

"I'm just worried about you." He admits reluctantly as she smiles.

"I know. But, you don't need to be, because I'm fine. Anyway, why are Mystic Falls? Is something wrong?" She questions, changing the subject.

"About that… Isobel called." He says as a large smile appears on her face.

"Really? How is mommy dearest. Still carry around your balls in her handbag?" She asks with mock curiosity as Klaus snorts from behind her.

"It's not like that." He says through gritted teeth. "She called and said Katherine went radio silent, she wanted me to check on you." He says as she rolls her eyes.

"Wow. Egg donor of the year!" She says cheers sarcastically.

"Elena." He reprimands with a sigh.

"Johnathan." She replies in the same tone. "I know what you're going to say, so don't. If she wanted to be in my life, she could've been. Look, I gotta go. Don't be a dick to Jen or Remy, okay?" Elena asks before hanging up, not waiting for his response.

"You okay-" She cuts off his question with a nod and a fake smile.

"Totally. Where were we?" She asks, wiggling her brows before kissing him. He pulls away and raises a brow, making her huff.

"I will be." She assures, kissing him again as he pulls her into his lap. Her phone rings again, making them both groan.

"Ignore it." He mumbles against her lip as she sends him an apologetic look, reaching for her phone.

"It could be Rem." She says before looking at the caller ID and squealing loudly.

"Talk dirty to me." She answers as Klaus looks at her with amusement.


"Kitty Kat!" Elena shouts with excitement as she runs past the group of werewolves, straight into Katherine's arms.

"Calm down, would you?" She reprimands with a small smile, trying to avoid looking past Elena's head.

"Now, now, Katerina. She's just happy to see you. After all, she did pay for your ability to be here with her freedom." Klaus tsks, shaking his head, making Katherine's body tense as Elena sends her an apologetic smile.

"Hey, we talked about this." Elena says, turning to Klaus, who only smirks in return.

"El." Elena hears a familiar voice say from behind her, causing her to turn around with a grin.

"Mason Lockwood." She greets. "It's been awhile. Still blowing your inheritance on surfboards and flip flops?" She asks innocently as he rolls his eyes.

"How's Ty?" He ignores her insult as she smiles at the mention of her friend.

"He's great. You'd know that, if you ever called." She snarks as Katherine clears her throat.

"Alright, that's enough. We have some things to take care of, I will see you later." She pats Mason's cheek as she grabs Elena's arm and pulls her away before stopping and turning back to him. "It's been fun. No hard feelings." She says, confusing him as Elena snickers.

"I expect her back, unharmed by tomorrow. If she so much as stubs her toe, I will remind you exactly why you ran from me for half a millennium." Klaus threatens Katherine as they walk past him, making Katherine's heart race and Elena roll her eyes.

"I'll be fine. Stop threatening her." Elena says to him before leaning in and whispering something in his ear, kissing his cheek as she pulls away. She turns around, facing the thoroughly confused pack of wolves. "Bye, Mason." She calls out teasingly as Katherine pulls her away. "I always knew he wanted to fuck me." She says smugly as Katherine shakes her head with a smile.


"So, what have you been up to these last few months?" Katherine asks Elena after the waiter sets down their food.

"Besides hitting all the hottest tourist sites of bumfuck USA and developing slight alcoholism?" She jokes, making her doppelgänger snort. "No, I'm kidding. It's been great. Really great." She smirks as Katherine raises a brow. "Don't worry, not your Salvatores. Or is it a certain impeccably dressed original you're worried about?" Elena questions teasingly as Katherine stares at her incredulously.

"You didn't." She states with disbelief as Elena takes a bite of her fry with a wide grin and shrugs. "You slept with Klaus? Like, the Klaus?" She continues, making Elena roll her eyes.

"It's not a big deal. Let's talk about you." Elena changes the subject as Katherine holds up her hands in surrender. "What have you been doing? What do you do when you're not running for your life, destroying brotherly bonds, or building my sacrificial altar?" Elena asks, taking a sip of her milkshake and sending her doppelgänger a pointed look as the vampire rolls her eyes.

"God, that was months ago. Are you ever gonna get over it?" Katherine asks, making Elena scoff.

"My deepest apologies." She replies sarcastically, throwing a fry at Katherine. "How goes the search for your spawn?" She asks as Katherine sends her an unimpressed look, making her smile.

"Not great, travelers are annoyingly well hidden. There's a coven a few hours away I'm going to talk to." Katherine answers as Elena's brows furrow.

"I figured you could just contact everyone you know and tell them to get the word out about Nadia." Elena says as Katherine shakes her head with annoyance.

"I've made countless enemies in my effort to hide from Klaus. And the only thing keeping those aware of my runaway status from hunting me, is the threat of facing Klaus's wrath. If people know I'm free, they will come for me." She explains as Elena nods. "Whatever, I'll figure it out, I always do. Let's get back to you hooking up with the man that killed you." Katherine changes the subject as Elena laughs.

"There's nothing to say. It just happened." She shrugs as Katherine mock shivers.

"But, him?" She judges.

"We've been on the road for months and having to constantly explain my kinks to randos, gets kinda old, so it was either him or the Salvatores and you have dibs on them. Or guess I could have tried to get with Eli. I'm surprised he didn't try to go three for three." Elena comments as Katherine rolls her eyes.

"I understand the logistics, but he just so…" She trails off, making Elena interject.

"Angry?" She asks. "Scary? Controlling? Temperamental? Dickish?" Elena offers as Katherine nods.

"Yes. And self satisfied and arrogant." Katherine criticizes as Elena shrugs.

"I know, and I'm into it. His whole 'you are beneath me' thing, makes me want to get beneath him. Or on top. Or from behind, or on the side. Or against a wall." She trails off with a dazed smile as Katherine fake gags in disgust.

"I'm not coming to the wedding." Katherine states sternly, making Elena laugh.

"That's really too bad. Because I wanted you to be the maid of honor and I'm sure Elijah would be best man." Elena responds, wiggling her eyebrows as Katherine rolls her eyes.

"Where is Elijah?" Katherine tries to ask causally, making Elena raise a brow in challenge. "I just assumed he would be with Klaus. I don't care." She says as Elena nods.

"Of course not. And I'm not sure. That dude is a mystery. He just pops in every few towns to chastise Klaus, then leaves." Elena tells a very uninterested Katherine. "Hey, maybe he knows about travelers." Elena says with a thoughtful expression as Katherine shakes her head.

"No, I really don't want to get involved with him. Or any of the originals for that matter." Katherine says making Elena shrug.

"You said there was a coven a few hours away." Katherine nods. "Let's go." Elena says, bouncing in her seat as Katherine raises a brow. "Oh, come on. I promised to help you find Nadia. This is me helping." Elena says, standing up and dragging Katherine out of her seat.


"That's not cliché." Elena says sarcastically as they stand outside an occult shop.

"You know what they say about hiding in plain sight." Katherine replies as they walk inside.

"That it's stupid and only tricks idiots." She whispers back as they walk towards the back of the small shop.

"How can I help you today?" The woman behind the counter asks with a smile before turning a glare on Katherine. "Out." She demands. "We don't get involved in-" Elena interrupts.

"In vampire business. Yeah, yeah, we've heard it all before. Fortunately for you, this has nothing to do with bloodsuckers. We need you to tell us everything you know about the travelers, and how exactly to find them." Elena rushes out at Katherine and the witch stare at her in disbelief. "Uh, I mean, could you please help us." She corrects herself weakly.

"Ellie, shut up." Katherine commands with a smile before turning to the witch.

"My name's Katherine." The vampire introduces herself as the witch raises a hand and makes a fist, causing Katherine to drop to the ground in pain, grabbing her head.

"Oh, I know. Doppelgängers. I would've thought you were twins if you didn't have that old magic surrounding you." The witch says as Katherine stands with gritted teeth and glare at her.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone, I really do just need some information." She says as the witch makes a surprised face at the emotion in Katherine's voice.

"What would you want with the travelers?" She asks defensively as Elena sighs and turns around, deciding to wander the shop.

"That's not important." Katherine says keeping an eye on Elena as a man comes down the stairs and looks to the witch with concern.

"May, who are they?" He asks before his eyes widen and he lifts his fist, making Katherine grab her head again.

"Stop. They're just here for information." The witch named May defends lamely, making the man release Katherine as she glares with annoyance.

"The next person to do that is getting their throat ripped out." She threatens making Elena laugh as she accidentally drops something.

"I'll pay for that." She calls out as the man stares at her with furrowed brows.

"Doppelgängers?" He asks as May nods, causing him to send an unreadable look to Elena before turning to Katherine.

"What do you want?" He asks with hostility, making the Petrova women roll their identical eyes.

"They asked about travelers." May supplies, making him nod and and walk further into the shop, pulling a book from and brings it to them, dropping it on the counter aggressively.

"There. Traveler history. That'll be $26.34, have a nice day." He says with false enthusiasm as the vampire sends him a threatening look.

"I have it on good authority that someone in this coven knows where to find some travelers. I'm willing to pay." Katherine says, trying to hide her desperation from the two skeptical witches as they look to each other in silent conversation.

"Fine. But I never want to see you again. Forget this coven's existence and we have a deal." May says, making Katherine nod.

"Good choice, I'm sure she would have started to threaten your family members." Elena says coming up behind Katherine and setting something down on the counter. "Also, you sure about not wanting any money? This place could do with hiring a maid of some sort. Kinda dusty." She adds, wiping her hands on her pants as the witches look to her incredulously. "Or, you do you." She holds her hands up before turning Katherine. "Can I have that?" She asks, pointing to the crystal sitting on the counter and widening her doe eyes, making her doppelgänger roll her eyes and nod.

"Whatever." She answers, turning to the witches. "Tell me how to find the travelers and I'll take the crystal." Katherine says, making Elena bounce happily, grabbing the stone and tossing it up in the air and catching it.


"Philly?" Elena asks with disbelief as the two doppelgängers make their way back to Katherine's car.

"Yep. You have a problem with Philadelphia or something?" She asks, making Elena shake her head.

"No. It's just, you can be anywhere and you choose Philly? Not even New York?" She asks as Katherine shrugs while they get in the car. "I'm kinda disappointed." Elena says with a sigh as the vampire looks to her with confusion.

"About Philadelphia?" She asks, making Elena laugh.

"No. I was kinda hoping we'd have to kick some ass." She says as Katherine raises a brow. "Okay, fine. I was hoping to see you kick some ass." She corrects herself as Katherine shakes her head.

"I'm a hell of a negotiator. No need for violence when you can talk your way out of any situation." Katherine swings her hair smugly as she starts her car, making Elena giggle.

"Right, I forgot. You're a master manipulator." Elena says dramatically as Katherine nods.

"And don't you forget it. And put your seatbelt on." She scolds as Elena rolls her eyes.

"Aww, you're such a good mommy." She pinches the vampire's cheek with a pout, going silent when Katherine only looks out the window with a blank expression. "You are, Kat. I told you, Nadia's gonna love you." Elena promises, squeezing her hand with a smile.

Katherine's about to reply when the car suddenly makes a loud sound, stopping in the middle of the seat as Elena looks around suspiciously.

"Oh, no. I've seen this movie before, only one of us will make it. You've already lived such a long life, Kitty Kat!" She exclaims with panic in her voice as Katherine sends her a look and unbuckles her seat belt, opening her door and stepping out of the car. "Don't go out there!" Elena shouts her warning.

Elena watches through through the windshield as Katherine pops the hood.

Elena rolls down the window. "I don't know what you're doing, but you look super hot while doing it." She says, climbing halfway out of the window.

"There's nothing wrong." Katherine says with suspicion, quickly looking behind her hearing a noise. "Get back in the-" She cuts herself off with a groan, dropping to her knees and gripping her head tightly.

"Kat!" Elena exclaims with worry, climbing out of the window and running toward her vampire doppelgänger before being thrown to the ground by an invisible force.

"Sorry." She hears a familiar voice say without remorse, looking up seeing the male witch from the shop. "It's not personal. You really shouldn't have messed with things." He says, shaking his head slightly as she looks up to him with fear in her eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking abo-" He interrupts her with a condescending head tilt.

"Witches talk, doppelgänger. Especially dead witches. You think we haven't heard of you?" He asks as she looks to Katherine, finding her nearly passed out on the ground. "There are consequences to our actions. But, before I kill you, I'm curious, what is your strange aura around you? Why do you feel like a ghost?" He asks as she lets tears drip down her face.

"Please." She says, letting him walk closer towards her. "I'll stop changing things, just please don't kill me." She pleads with desperation as he leans down.

"I'm sorry." He says, blinking in surprise when she meets his eye with a wide grin.

"Kat, now!" She shouts, reaching into her boot and pulling out her knife, and lodging it in his side, making him lose control of his magic. He grabs his side and groans as Katherine quickly speeds to him, ripping out his heart from behind, pushing his body down and dropping in front of Elena.

"Are you okay?" She asks, checking Elena over for injuries with worried eyes.

"I'm fine. I promise." She says holding up her hands, wincing at the scrapes across her hands.

"Come on." Katherine says, helping her stand and walking her back to the car and popping the trunk before walking back to the body and throwing it over her shoulder, placing it in the truck.

After getting in the car and buckling her seat belt, Elena leans her head against her window with a sigh. "Shit." She breathes in defeat.


"I warned you what I would do if anything happened to her." Klaus says with a threatening gleam in his eye as Katherine takes a fearful step back.

"Stop." Elena says with exasperation, stepping in front of Klaus. "I'm okay, she protected me. What happened with the wolves? You leave Mason alone?" She tries to distract him as he continues to glare at Katherine.

"Yes, though his pack wasn't too happy with him." He answers, making her chuckle. "And they really weren't happy to learn of their fallen pack member's sacrifice." He adds with amusement.

"I should go." Katherine says after observing the two with confusion. "I'll see you around, Ellie." She hugs her, releasing her with a smile.

"I'll miss you." Elena pouts childishly, making the vampire roll her eyes. "Bye, Kat." She says with a fond smile before Katherine walks out of the room.

"Huh, she's not as unbearable as I remember." Klaus comments with a smirk as Elena laughs.

"Well, she wouldn't say the same." Elena responds, walking past him to the bar and grabbing a bottle, immediately removing the cap and drinking from the bottle, making the hybrid raise a brow. "So, how long do you think I've got left? We should start a dead pool. My money's on 2 years." She says dropping down on the couch and leaning her head back.

"What exactly did the witch say to you?" Klaus questions, making his way to her and removing the bottle from her hand, causing her to whine and reach for it.

"Our actions have consequences." She mocks the dead witch's voice. "Apparently, dead witches talk." She adds miserably as he stares off into space for a moment before turning to her.

"Well, when you're done throwing yourself this pity party, I have a surprise." He tries to cheer her as she looks to him with concealed excitement.

"A surprise?" She asks, making him nod. "What kind of surprise?" She asks as he shrugs with an innocent expression and leans back.

"I just thought maybe you'd like to give your friend her congratulatory flowers in person." He says casually as she jumps and stares at him with an open mouth.

"What are you saying?" She asks with a smile, already knowing the answer.

"I have enough hybrids and my house is finally finished, also Elijah won't stop hounding me about when I plan to awaken our siblings." He rolls his eyes as she laughs. "And since you can't seem to stay out of trouble," He teases. "I think it's time we go home." He says, smiling when she jumps up and down and wraps him in a tight hug.

"Thank you." She mutters into his neck with a smile.