Chapter 12: Sorry

Elijah Mikaelsson had always been a very calculated man. He knew that from the very age of five when he instructed his mom on how to plan his birthday party. He liked things neat and decorated. Katherine had been surprised at how carefully he chose the colors of their house - brown and red that blended into a beautiful burgundy shade. They easily had the most attractive house on the block.

He needed a break after that disastrous party, yes because it was too overwhelming for his normally collected personality. Everything came at him at a hundred miles per hour – his wife's affair and then the paternity of their baby being questioned. He knew no matter what that the child would live a comfortable life. The love he held for the mother of it would inspire him to do so.

His loft was downtown - a place he purchased before buying his home with Katherine. The happiness he felt for his now growing family dwindled since that night and he became severely depressed. The clean shaven Elijah now had a faint beard growing on his face and his hair was getting longer and shaggy.

Elijah's phone rang and he looked at the caller ID and it was none other than Klaus. His brother was one of the few people who gave his new number.

"What is it, Niklaus?" He asked in a groggy voice.

"Ah, I see someone's not having a splendid time in Italy."

Elijah scratched his head. Italy, that was the cover story that Katherine came up with? Someone could easily bump into him at a grocery store and identify him. Her lie should have been more local, more believable.

"Sure."

"Well, Damon's been in an accident and the police stopped by to interrogate Bonnie up because they believe there's foul play. American police are so silly and waste their time on the most idiotic cases, she's a lawyer I'm sure she would have found a more decent way to off Damon."

"What?" Elijah asked flabbergasted. "Well, I wish them the best and hopefully the police find nothing against Bonnie. Katherine would lose her mind without her."

"And here I thought her and Caroline were closer,"

"They were, it's just that Bonnie has been more present in her life," Elijah sighed thinking of his wife at home alone. "How is she?"

"Katherine? Ah, she's the same, running along to the salon for a fresh paint even if she so scratches her nail," Klaus told him with a laugh.

"Right...do you think she understands why I went away?"

"Aren't you working? You're the reason why she can live her comfortable lifestyle, she's aware how this works, Elijah. Though you would have told me about an international client prior to leaving, I had to find out through Caroline."

So much for catching a hint, Niklaus, Elijah thought sardonically.

He spoke into the phone again with certainty. "My trip will be over by the end of the week I think I need a day or two of leisure in the city of love, don't you think?"

"I'll see you soon, then," Klaus ended the call.

Elijah cursed to himself because this meant he would have to face Katherine and actually talk this time. The man had questions of course and his wounds were still fresh and too weak for honesty. This lie Katherine came up with was becoming sticky and returning home would clean it up.

"So, needless to say, this has been a crazy week for you two," Dr. O'Connell said to her patients who sat in silence. She cleared her throat. "Well, I'm glad you could make it."

Damon spit out, "Likewise. I mean we are paying you half a stack per hour so I'd expect your attendance to be in check."

"He's agitated today. Ignore him," Bonnie said, lightly kicking her husband's foot with her heel.

Cami scribbled something down about Damon's temper and met the couple with a smile. "No worries, we all have those days," she eyed the couch they were sitting on. "No crutches today, that's good."

Bonnie squeezed Damon's hand. "I sort of figured that he didn't need them anymore." So, I threw them down the stairs and it forced him to reveal himself for the liar he is.

"Okay, um, can you talk about your case if it even is that?"

"I can't talk about it now but it won't be making it to court. My lawyers will make sure of it," Bonnie said.

Damon wanted to poke his eyeballs during that session. It was way too soon for them to go back especially since Bonnie was under police custody less than 48 hours ago. She just kept pushing for them to go to counseling. He had sped walk out of the facility with Bonnie trailing behind him in a skirt and heels.

"You know, for someone who was just on crutches you sure are outrunning me," The short woman called out.

Damon stopped and turned around to face his wife. "You knew I didn't want to be there for God sakes, Bonnie you were this close to jail the other day!"

"So what? We need the help more than ever now and you never act like you want to be here. It's like our marriage isn't worth fighting for!"

He held the bridge of his nose and sighed. "After this week, I don't want to go back, do what you want. Now come on."

Bonnie stayed where she was - in the middle of the parking lot. "No, I'm not going home with you."

Damon scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous." She stood with her arms crossed and he charged towards her and grabbed her wrist in a forceful walk to the car. Bonnie screamed as loud as she could to cause a scene and she surely did - people were gawking at them. He still yanked her inside the car where she fussed and hollered like an infant child.

"Shut the fuck up!" He closed his eyes and took a breath of relief when she closed her mouth. Asserting his dominance over her had an affect on her since she stayed quiet a few minutes after their altercation. His small wife was looking out her window with her arms crossed over her now wrinkled blouse.

The raven-haired male was now driving them home. He couldn't help to steal glances at his angered wife in the passenger seat. She was adorable when she was mad and he smiled to himself thinking about how similar their tempers were. He placed a hand over her thigh.

"I had to get you in the car somehow, baby."

Her voice was stern. "Don't touch me. You would have to be insane or drunk to grab me like you just did and you aren't either."

"You were acting crazy, making everyone look at us like that."

"I am giving you until next Friday to recant not going to therapy," Bonnie concluded before putting her headphones in her ears to block out her husband's objections. She felt like they were going in circles, getting dizzy and then vomiting just to start the process all over again. This time there would be a change—with or without Damon.

Caroline paced back and forth in her bedroom. This was the sort of anxiety she garnered whenever her mother forced her to confession. The blonde had been rather vindictive in high school and hated revealing the awful things she had done. She would do anything to maintain her spot as Queen Bee. Thankfully, she had time to change her ways and was now blessed with a home and family.

Her husband would be returning home from work soon. The news she had to tell him was serious and she needed to look presentable. Her hair was straightened and she wore a baby pink dress. Henri was napping peacefully in her room so the two had no interruptions. She'd even cooked his favorite English meal - Sunday roast. While she prepared that she had written down the meal plan for Thanksgiving as well because well, it didn't hurt to be organized and well prepared.

"Love, I'm home," Klaus said aloud from the bottom of the stairs.

Caroline took a deep breath and walked down the stairs in a graceful manner. Her smile was as wide as the sun. In a spontaneous effort he spun her around and kissed her. After they broke apart, Caroline kept her eyes closed much longer. This made everything way more difficult. She played with his tie and looked at him with amused eyes.

"What was that for?"

"I can't kiss my wife for the hell of it without her questioning." She kissed him this first time. "Is that roast I smell?" Klaus asked.

"Let me lead you into the kitchen, big boy," Caroline said.

At Klaus's request, they used the fine china to eat their dinner on. It was nearing six o'clock on a Friday evening and they were making great conversation. The real ugly topic would have to be brought up but Caroline wanted to live in bliss for a while longer.

The blonde laughed and stood up. "What if I said I had a strawberry cheesecake in the fridge."

Klaus laughed himself and kissed her hand before looking into her blue eyes. "Then I would marry you all over again."

Caroline turned around and began searching for the cake and a knife to slice it. She froze when she heard her phone ring. Klaus groaned before seeing who it was. Their dinner was being interrupted by none other then Enzo.

"Enzo wants you to come to the store, he says it's busy."

The blonde's lips pressed into a line and she said in a high-pitched voice, "Just text him back and say that I can't make it."

Klaus did the exact opposite and recorded a voice message. "Look, we're having a very delightful evening so maybe handle it alone, why don't you?"

"Klaus," Caroline sighed. She brought the dessert to the table and grabbed her phone to diffuse a potential argument.

"You just said you were sick of him calling out of work now he's pestering you about coming in."

"I know, I know. Here." She handed him the piece of cake.

"I'm actually feeling well-fed," Klaus pushed it back to her. "Why is he still working for you?"

"It's complicated."

Klaus threw his hands up. "What's complicated about employing someone who has expressed his attraction to you knowing that you were married?"

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this, I'm sorry. You don't want to hear this but I consider Enzo a friend and he needs this job."

The sea-eyed man laughed and stood up even and stared at her with menacing eyes. "He's a friend who wants to shag you! How could you overlook that, Caroline?"

"Klaus, I—"

"Nope you just made your stance very clear on the issue, love." He began to walk away.

Caroline yelled, "Wait!" Klaus turned around with a sigh. "What can I do to stop this? I don't want to fight, he doesn't mean what you are to me."

"Fire him. You gave me an ultimatum last month for our marriage and I made my choice, it's your turn now."

The blonde nodded weakly and swallowed. She began to clean up and put their plates in the dishwasher. Her breathing because slow and hitched like someone put a knife in her chest that nearly touched her heart. Caroline eyed the cake and its decorative glory and took the knife beside it and began stabbing at it. Repeatedly. She sunk to the floor and sobbed on the floor, holding herself.

Elena went through her lengthy shopping list for the fifth time as she strolled the aisles of her favorite grocery store. Her fridge and pantry needed major stocking so here she was at the store buying food that her boys would eat. Katherine decided to tag along too even though she wasn't much help.

"I don't understand how you do this," Katherine said, hugging her arms.

"Shop for food?"

"My housekeepers do that for me, actually. But I do hitting up Rodeo Drive."

"Every week?" Elena chimed in with little to no enthusiasm while grabbing some cupcakes from the shelf.

"Wait, can I have one of those?"

The young mother shrugged and opened the box of Hostess treats. She didn't see why not as she would have pay for it anyway. Katherine was probably starving, and Elena could tell from the way she reached for her second cupcake to scarf down.

"Katherine, is that the only thing you've had to eat today?" Elena asked concernedly.

"I may have had a bagel...that I puked up an hour afterward."

Elena sighed and stopped the cart to turn around and face her. She balanced her hands on Katherine's shoulders. "I know it's hard but you have to see what meals work for your baby - and yourself." The child coming before Katherine's needs did not go unnoticed, this was going to be the first time in life that she would have to break her selfish ways.

"Plus, eating all that sugar is not good, Misses Mikaelson!" She scolded with a small chuckle.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Don't call me by my married name; you're making me feel so ancient."

The brown-eyed woman started to belt out another laugh but soon stopped it as soon as she saw a familiar face. It was Liam and her heart had an accelerated beat. She took a deep breath before breaking away from the hug. Katherine was confused until she saw who it was.

"You need to stop looking like a mom," Katherine told her as she unbuttoned the stunned woman's blouse by a few buttons. She also grabbed her full cart of groceries and prepared to push it to checkout. That only meant she quickly plotted on making them talk. And Liam was approaching her at what seemed like a fast pace even though his legs moved regularly.

"Hey," Elena greeted awkwardly placing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Um, what are you doing here?"

"Shopping?" Liam asked sarcastically and gauged her flushed reaction.

"Right," She said softly. Her eyes wandered elsewhere and she pointed to wherever Katherine may have ran off to. "I have to go after her, she kind of stole my cart."

"Wait," Liam reached out to her and ended up latching on to her wrists. Her eyes widened in apprehension. "It's nothing bad, maybe it's for the best you sent that text that ended things for good. It hurt but seeing you now in person gave me the closure I needed."

"I am so sorry for how everything played out. But um, I never sent you a text, Liam. If anything I would have called you or met you in person."

He brought out his phone and handed it to

her to see for herself. "Look, I respect you, so I don't want to accuse you of lying."

Elena knew who exactly typed these messages out. None of them sounded like her at all. Liam was a great guy and he didn't deserve the vitriol he received from her number. Right now all she saw was red and her ears had steam blowing out of them.

The first thing the brunette did when she got home was stock her kitchen and pantry. The display was perfect just like she wanted it to be because she wanted no indications that a storm was brewing. Elena sat in silence for next hour and then realized there was something odd and clunky behind the boxes in the pantry.

Taking a deep breath, she went to investigate further even though she shouldn't have. Her eyes almost bulged from her sockets because she wished that they never landed on a bottle of liquor. Tears welled up in her eyes and her throat became itchy and dry.

Stefan wouldn't dare dream of touching a drink in her mind. He wouldn't do it without telling her or not in front of her face. He wouldn't break one of her rules. He wouldn't risk their family over this. He just wouldn't. Yet the bottle was half-empty.

The distraught woman placed it on the counter and stared at the bottle once more. Both of her hands held on the end of the table while and her head took a dip into the air while she sulked. Her crying did a total 180 and she began laughing—loudly. A glass of whiskey did look appropriate for the day she's had—and another followed by 3 more.

It isn't long before Stefan gets home from work and then their self-destruction cannot be stopped as she already is intoxicated. He walks in the kitchen to see her completely out of character and then noticed that she found his stash.

"Fuck me," He cursed in a whisper. "Elena, what are you doing?"

"Well, if it isn't the Man of the house!" She patted an empty chair. "Have a seat, why don't you?"

He folded his arms and stood arrogantly. "I think I'll stand."

Elena chuckled, she thought it was hilarious, he believed that he had a choice. Her now empty glass was being flung towards his head—he ducked and it missed his head and shattered on the living room floor. "Have a seat, please," His wife said again and he did.

"Look, it's been a stressful week and—"

She pointed at him angrily. "No, you—you're going to listen to me. I don't want to hear another word coming from your sorry-ass mouth." She placed a hand over her beating heart and took a deep breath. Her BAC level must have been through the roof yet the clarity her voice had only been a little staggered.

"You take so much from me, it's so exhausting. I try to be the best wife I can be but it's never good enough for anybody, you even managed to turn my own son against me. I had to beg my mother to take him this weekend so I could yell at you in peace or without being vilified in his eyes. The worst part is that I keep letting you suck the life out of me. Every time I thought I was moving on, there you are just there...just there!"

"I can go if you want," He said, looking into her pained eyes. It wouldn't make things any better but it could give her the space she needed.

"No, don't you dare do that! Don't play the nonchalant, good guy like you always do, you hurt me and you broke my rules." Elena picked up the empty bottle, making him come face to face with his demons. "This, you turned to this before talking to me." He looked away.

"I tried to bury it, I did and I-I was going to get rid of it. I just wasn't expecting to find out like this, it was just one drink."

"Oh, you lying to me and not expecting me to find out things is an ongoing theme in our marriage," Elena said, her voice coated in sarcasm. "You invaded my privacy when you texted Liam pretending to be me. Then-then you take your frustration out on me and treat me like shit right after...like I was supposed to know he was going to send me that."

"I'm sorry, I saw his name and I just reacted. That day was going so perfect and I didn't want to lose you." He thought for a moment and feared the worst. "How did you even find out?"

She scoffed. "You're an insecure jackass, you know that, right?"

"I know, but I need to know."

"Why does it even matter?" Elena asked defensively.

"Can you answer my question?" Stefan asked in desperation.

"No, I'm going to bed...alone," Her speech was slowed and she rubbed her head as she stood up sensing an incoming headache. "Don't even bother coming upstairs."

Caroline came to Katherine's door bearing gifts. One was a basket of muffins and the other was a white box. She took a sigh as she waited for her friend to answer the door on the other side. Katherine opened the door in her designer sunglasses and a coat on. Caroline's eyes went wide because this was not normal for Southern California weather.

"Those better be for me," Katherine greeted.

"They are. Let me in?" Caroline said, trying to step in her house.

"Uh, nice try Martha Stewart, only the muffins are invited and whatever's in that bag."

The blonde sighed in irritation. "Damn it, Katherine, I am trying to talk to you."

"Fine, come in."

Caroline felt lighter and smiled as she walked in her friend's house. She even did a half-spin to which Katherine rolled her eyes at before taking her gift of muffins and placing it on the end table. Her blue eyes scanned the suitcases lined up by the front door while Katherine's back was turned.

"Are you skipping town?"

"More like a trip back home with my ungodly mother. Why?"

"When were you going to tell us? We care about you Katherine, you're our sister."

"It's not a big deal, just a few weeks," She shrugged. "You guys take the sister thing way too seriously."

"You're still pregnant, traveling alone can't be good," Caroline reasoned.

"I'm at the end of my first trimester, I'll be fine my doctor said so."

Caroline interlocked her fingers and sunk into the furniture and decided to let it go. "I have a question," She closed her eyes and showed her teeth in a dorky manner. "Or ten."

"Aw, look at you trying to buy me off, I knew there would be a trade-off. What's in the bag?" It was promptly handed it to her.

Katherine took out a white box that had the Bulgari logo on it. She opened it to see a rose gold watch with black and gold dials. The wrist part didn't have a latch since it was a spiral and wrapped around her arm. The bezel was beautiful and Katherine swore that she could see her reflection in the tiny diamonds. It was atleast a 30 thousand watch and she happily put it in her purse on the coat hanger.

"Okay, shoot, Blondie."

"Klaus is making me fire Enzo and has used our marriage as a bargaining chip," Caroline divulged. "I just don't know why it's so hard to do so, Enzo's...well Enzo but he makes my work environment less stressful."

"Ah, so your real husband is afraid that your work husband will whisk you away from him."

"It's not that, he thinks Enzo has overstepped too many boundaries and I don't know I like to call myself a believer of second chances."

"And third, fourth, fifth chances at the rate he's going," Katherine added.

Caroline pressed her lips. "I didn't come here to hear you agree with my husband."

"I'll cut to the chase then." The blonde straightened in her seat and readied her ears. "You want to explore this thing with Enzo, you've been married and faithful for 4 long years and you resent the rest of us for not following that cookie cutter life. Because guess what? Shit happens. There are other people who may appeal to you in life besides the person you vowed to screw every night."

"I am not attracted to Enzo," Caroline scoffed.

"Then why are struggling with this? Fire his ass! I would have a long time ago."

"Ugh." Caroline rose from her seat and exclaimed, "I'm struggling because what Klaus asked is unethical, Katherine! I can't just fire employees because my husband is jealous, that's crazy."

"Well, just tell Klaus you can't fire him because of that, some contract you made Enzo sign." The yellow-haired woman crossed her arms and looked away from her friend only for it turn back when she uttered this proposition:

"Or you just be careful, make sure the two never cross paths."

Caroline almost considered it. "I can't, I don't how to lie to his face like that."

"And you thought talking to me would help you, right?" Katherine asked, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "I lost Elijah due to my lies and selfishness, those few fleeting moments of an affair may feel exhilarating and I won't lie it felt a good sort of different but it's not worth the everlasting pain once your partner finds out," The pregnant woman finalized with a single tear.

The Caroline at Sybil's housewarming party would have rejoiced at Katherine's karma. Hell, her prior to them talking again post-party fight would have felt triumphant. But this didn't feel right, and Katherine wasn't exactly right but she deserved forgiveness and a chance at redemption.

Her once vibrant brown eyes had severely deadened the past few weeks, everyone blamed it on the pregnancy. How could she not notice the woman's husband abandoned her when they needed to resolve their issues in that moment. Caroline felt an instant sympathy for her and knew right then and there what her choice with the Enzo crisis would be. The blonde pulled her friend in for a hug and placated a rare sobbing Katherine Mikaelson.

As promised. Elijah returned home the day he said she would. His face was fresh and he wore a Armani grey suit. It was time that he stopped running and face his biggest problem head on. He knew how much heartache she would cause him from the first day he laid eyes on her. The model was wearing red pumps and walked around the club like she owned the place—no fifty just like them. From there, he had to go up to her talk to her.

He set his bags down by the front door and did a rotation to view his home. Everything was clean to his luck but nobody was home. The house was so quiet that he figured that his wife would come downstairs at the pitter-patter of his wingtip Oxfords. Just to make sure he wasn't living in some Twilight Zone he walked upstairs to their bedroom to check and see if she was there. All he saw was another clean room but what caught his eye was a note on the dresser.

Dear Katherine, you are still a raging, materialistic bitch. Despite your husband leaving you, no ditching you like the modeling agencies did as soon as you turned 30 and two sizes too big for their unrealistic views on how a woman's body should look like. You've lied and cheated your whole life so why would you stop at your own marriage, it's all you're good at. Fucking things up with the only man who's seen you outside your monetary value or sex might have been the stupidest thing you've done and trust me, I am you so I have a masterlist of all the dumbass things you've done. You wish you could remember the reason why you even had that stupid affair and with a man-child at that. Your mind circles back to lust of course, attraction, greed and the one everyone keeps telling you—your selfishness. But loneliness is one of them, Elijah was working a lot and you enjoyed the money he brought in but you were bored and needed to spice things up. Traveling back to the lonely thing, you're pretty damn lonely now. Your mistake took you back to a full 360 degrees, bitch. So, now you can't even look yourself in the mirror without getting disgusted and you would once argue Aphrodite couldn't match your beauty. But it isn't what's on the outside, it's what lurks in the inside and sweetie you are ugly. Well, there was so much I could have covered like the paternity of your child is an entire letter by itself. Anyways, I hope I grilled you better than Mom would have.

With disdain, Katherine Pierce.

"Dear God," Elijah whispered as he folded the letter. His wife had wrote all those things about herself to prepare herself for her mother's criticisms. He didn't know how to react but the piece of paper revealed her demons that he knew well. It wasn't soon until he figured out that she was going home to Bulgaria.

Then he went into a frenzy and began tearing the room apart. It was out of character and reactionary and he would not apologize for destroying his seemingly perfect house. Nothing was perfect about his failing marriage. His abandonment ironically sent Katherine away and now she would not be coming home.