Just stop your crying,
Have the time of your life,
Breaking through the atmosphere,
And things are pretty good from here,
Remember everything will be alright,
We can meet again somewhere,
Somewhere far away from here
Is she going to try and kill me?
It's the main hypothesis that comes to mind when she tries to figure out why she's been invited here. Elena's not said a word since Claudia arrived - they're sat across from each other in the living room of the Gilbert house - the clock on the wall indicates it's been at least five minutes of silence. Claudia crosses one leg over the other and leans back into the armchair she's sat in, watching the human girl closely. In contrast, she sits slightly hunched over in the middle of the sofa, long hair curtaining her face and her fists clutched together in her lap. She looks... kind of out of it, to be honest - Claudia's reminded of the way Elena used to react to things when she was still new to anything supernatural - terrified and helpless. An errant thought hits her: wait, is it me? Is she scared of me? Am I causing this reaction just by being here?
An unpleasant guilty feeling coils around her undead heart, forcing her carefully established expression of neutrality into one of barely concealed worry.
Have I become the Katherine now? Do I resemble the monster I always vowed I would never imitate? Because of me, will Elena suffer nightmares and see my face in them for the rest of her life?
"I'm so sorry, Elena..." Claudia abandons her previous pose in the armchair in favour of leaning forwards to utter an earnest apology. She's been coping with what she's done by doing her best to keep it out of her mind, and it's been working for the past few days, but... Elena deserves better than Claudia's cowardly coping mechanisms. She almost died. "The last thing I wanted-"
"Stop it," Elena cuts her off, shaking her head so fervently that her hair swishes violently with the motion. "I knew what I was risking when I invited you in and I've already forgiven you for it."
"What are you talking about? Elena, I almost killed you."
"But you didn't. I'm fine - so are Matt and Alaric - so are the people you hurt when your humanity was off. Compared to some of the other vampires in this town..." Elena lets it trail off, the implied meaning obvious enough without her needing to say it. Claudia narrows her eyes, her fingers lacing together as she studies Elena's face a moment longer, then lets loose a long sigh and reclines once more.
"I thought you'd called me over here to get your revenge..." Claudia admits, "expected you to be sharpening a stake when I walked in, or something. I didn't expect... this." She wrinkles her nose slightly as she says it, her tone colouring with something that might sound disdainful to a stranger. In truth, it's something closer to discomfort.
"What do you mean?"
"... Forgiveness, I guess - an honest conversation - it's not something I'm used to."
"Like friendship?" Elena prompts.
"Yeah. Exactly like friendship." Claudia almost smiles, still feeling a little too uncomfortable with herself to allow anything more.
"Then... let's just call it even for now?" Elena suggests, fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt. "I know what happened the other day doesn't make everything okay between us... I mean, I know I'm not blameless... I should have just trusted you about Elijah and I should never have stood by and let you go back into that cell. Don't get me wrong, Claudia, I'm sorry for all of that... but I don't have any idea how to make it up to you with everything else going on."
"No, that's..." Claudia rolls her shoulders back and stretches her spine out a little to rid herself of some tension. She settles back into the armchair feeling a little easier than before. "I think that's the best way to move forward. For now, anyway - for us. I'm happy to just call it even for now, deal with Klaus and figure the rest out later."
"So... are we friends?"
"... Yeah, Elena, we're friends," Claudia assures, feeling uncharacteristically nervous again - just like she had the night of the slumber party - the supernatural world sometimes pales in comparison to the high stakes of genuine friendship. The two of them share a slightly more relaxed smile now that they've broken the ice properly, but Claudia's thoughts quickly return to Elena's previous countenance. She'd sounded terrified on the phone, the fear in her voice had been evident even with the hubbub of the Grill diverting Claudia's attention. She frowns, shifting in her seat a little as she eyes Elena, watching as the smile fades and her posture droops again. "But if you didn't call me over to stake me... what happened? Why am I here?"
"I don't know why I called you specifically," Elena admits somewhat ruefully, rubbing her hands absentmindedly over her own thighs to comfort herself. "I just... didn't want to call Stefan or Damon. I wanted to see you."
"Me? Why?"
"Isobel committed suicide in front of me," Elena blurts it out like she can't stand having to say it, a feeling which is admittedly understandable. "She took off her necklace and just..." Elena's eyes go impossibly wide and vacant, hands clenching in her lap as her nails dig into her jeans. Claudia's by her side in an instant, wrapping a careful arm around her shoulders with as much deliberation and gentleness as she can. Almost immediately, Elena crumples into the side-on embrace, curling up against Claudia and wrapping an arm around her waist; Elena's head coming to rest on Claudia's shoulder. "She took me to see her grave, offered me a safe house... then... then she got a call, apologised for being such a shitty mother, and..."
"Shh..." Claudia hushes her gently, running a soothing hand over Elena's hair when she bursts into tears. "It's alright. You're okay."
"I'm not..." Elena sobs, "I don't know why I'm even upset! She was never around unless she needed something. I can't believe I even-"
"But she was still your biological mother," Claudia sympathises, still passing a hand over Elena's smooth hair in order to comfort. It seems to be working so she doesn't stop. "Even if she barely existed in your life... she gave birth to you and it's not so easy to overlook that."
Elena nods into Claudia's shoulder, seeming more resigned to it than anything. Claudia looks down to see her fiddling with the fabric of Claudia's top. She can sense some hesitation coming from the girl, her heartbeat is offbeat and she's worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "Can I ask... what happened to yours?" Elena braces herself as if preparing for a negative reaction - it leaves Claudia to wonder just what her brothers have said about their mother in the past.
"My mother... her name was Lillian. She died when Stefan and I were about twelve years old. I think Damon must have been... nineteen?" Claudia smiles sadly, eyes becoming unfocused as she recalls the memories she has of her mother.
"What happened?" Elena asks softly, as if worried that if she speaks any louder Claudia will close herself off from the questioning. Really, what have Stefan and Damon said to make Elena so wary of the topic?
"Consumption. It was very common back then... but it still felt like some kind of tragic accident, you know? When you're young you think your parents are invisible and then one day... they're just not."
"I'm sorry, Claudia..." Elena says, sounding so earnestly genuine that Claudia almost wants to laugh. Elena's upfront sincerity always surprises her - she supposes that's what happens when you spend over a century in a relentlessly dishonest and cynical world.
"It was a long time ago now..." Claudia reassures Elena, happy to note that the misery that had been rolling off her in waves has now subsided to a dull sadness. "And she was a good woman so I'm sure she's at peace. I'm glad she didn't have to suffer the consumption any longer than she did."
"Do you have any pictures of her?" Elena wonders.
"I think Damon does. I'll see if I can find it and show you."
"I'd like to see her, try and spot the resemblance..." Elena smiles up at her and Claudia returns the gesture. "And thanks for showing up when I called, and thanks for-"
"You're welcome, Elena. Thank you for putting your life on the line to help me."
Elena grins, big brown eyes sparkling. "What are friends for?"
[ DAMON ]
"Well that's good, right?" Claudia's on the phone to Elijah, talking about some new contact he's established to help track down Klaus. Damon could focus his hearing to pick up what Elijah's saying on the other end if he really wanted to, but... he doesn't. He finds his little sister's boyfriend is easier to reckon with in small doses. "You think he's trustworthy?" Claudia continues, slowly walking back and forth while Stefan, Elena and Damon take up various positions around the room. John Gilbert lies 'dead' on the floor, still not revived from his brush with death yesterday - Claudia steps over him as she paces - treating him like an errant cushion that's fallen off the sofa rather than a human obstacle. "Sure," Claudia responds after an extended pause wherein Damon assumes Elijah has just been monologuing. "I'll be there soon. Love you too."
Damon rolls his eyes as his sister ends the call and shoves her phone back into her pocket, ignoring the glare she sends his way. Honestly, he's still as surprised to see her as he had been earlier in the day, when she'd come strolling into the Grill with Elijah in tow. Just days before she'd been on a little rampage around town, worrying him so much that he was sure he'd been on the verge of some kind of vampiric aneurysm. It's beyond relieving to have her back to herself now, to be able to look at Claudia and know that it's his Claudia - the same precious baby he'd held (with Giuseppe's help) after she and Stefan had been born. Opening the door to find her and Elena coming in together had been as welcome as it had been shocking, and for the first time in months Damon felt a small sense of hope taking up residence in his chest.
Claudia drops down onto the couch, reclining into a pose reminiscent of the one Damon usually adopts as she throws her feet up onto the table and crosses them at the ankles.
"So Clark Kent actually made some progress today, did he?" Damon asks, physically incapable of ignoring the ridiculous disguise Elijah had been wearing before.
"Elijah has no idea who Superman is so don't bother using that one on him," Claudia responds airily, stretching out like a leisurely cat. "He won't get it... even if it is pretty good."
Damon grins at his sister, reluctant to admit his delight at her willingness to even talk to him. It's far more than he deserves, he's well aware of that, but he's never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"But he did make progress?" Prompts Stefan, coming over to perch on the arm of the couch next to Claudia.
"Yeah," she nods in a restricted fashion, her full range of motion limited by the couch she's slumped against. "He's efficient like that."
"Good. That's good..." Elena says from the armchair she's sat in, playing with a necklace that looks familiar but Damon can't quite figure out why. "If anyone can find Klaus, it's gonna be Elijah. We're lucky he's deciding to work with us after everything."
"Like we said earlier, Elena, I think it's best to just call it all even. We all have to work together if we wanna beat Klaus. There's no sense in harbouring a grudge when the bigger threat can decide to show up tomorrow." Claudia's confidence is infectious, the other three all seem to straighten up at her words, nodding to indicate their agreement. "Besides, Elijah's an Original. Of all the betrayals he's been through in his long life, I can guarantee yours registers low on the list - even if you did do it twice."
"Well that's reassuring," Damon snarks lightheartedly. He's totally unwilling to indicate just how true that statement really is, opting to hide it behind layers of sarcasm, as usual. "But just in case either of you needed a peace offering, the dagger's on your bed. Take it with you, tell your boyfriend he can skewer Klaus with it."
Claudia blinks, sitting up out of her reclination and opening her mouth to say something but is interrupted by John, who gasps like it's the first time he's ever breathed air and rises slowly up onto his elbows. With a snarl, Damon's on him in an instant, grabbing him by the collar to haul him up and hold him an inch away from his face. He'd been prepared to threaten but there's no need, John's all too happy to plead his case.
"I swear, I had no idea what she was gonna do," he gasps, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." John addresses the last apology to Elena and Damon notices that Claudia can't help but bristle protectively. She's had more than enough of Elena's shitty biological parents for one day, it seems. He can't exactly say she's alone in feeling that way.
"Damon, let him go..." Elena says almost reluctantly, sounding a little like she kind of wants to let him teach her deadbeat dad a lesson. "He and I need to talk."
Damon quirks a brow but lets the asshole drop, brushing himself off and sauntering over to join Claudia and Stefan on the couch. He's about to imitate Claudia's pose from earlier but Stefan nudges him and nods his head towards the nearest door. Oh, so I guess we're clearing out. Never mind that this is our home, Elena - the Salvatores will do your bidding. He begrudgingly rises once again to his feet and moves to follow Stefan out, but glances back when he doesn't sense Claudia behind him. She's stood right in front of John, staring him down.
"How does Sherriff Forbes know about our little spat, John?" Claudia asks, a hint of danger in her voice. Damon turns to face the spectacle fully, folding his arms across his chest and cocking his head as he waits to hear John's response.
"I don't know. I didn't tell her..." John insists and to his credit, either does a very good job of keeping his deception indicators in check, or is genuinely telling the truth. "It wouldn't benefit me to do that. I swear."
Claudia encroaches on his space a little further and Damon gets a thrill out of watching John react with a hint of fear, his heartbeat spiking as he takes a half step backwards. "If I find out otherwise, I'll come back for you and this time it won't be a fake-out. Same goes for if you lie to Elena."
"Claudia..." Stefan says from over by the doorway. Damon shoots him an annoyed glance over his shoulder. "Come on, let's let them talk."
"Don't mess with my people, John. I've already demonstrated I'm willing to kill for them." Claudia warns but steps away at Stefan's behest, anyway. The tension in the room drops back from the boiling point it had been reaching to the steady thrum it had been at before. Damon falls into step with his sister as she walks by him, a proud little smirk lingering on his face.
"Very impressive, sis. You can be kind of scary when you want to be..." he teases, holding the door open for her so she can go through ahead of him. "Almost had John Gilbert pissing his pants."
"Good thing I stopped then," Claudia muses. "That rug is really annoying to clean."
"True... that it is," Damon agrees but finds his good mood falling a little as he contemplates his sister's easy countenance. She doesn't seem... decided on how she's feeling. He wonders if she's even had a chance yet to just sit down and think about everything. "You know, I'm surprised you're even talking to me right now, let alone joking around with me about piss-stained rugs."
"I'm just... so tired, Damon..." Claudia relents and now that she's admitted her weariness he can see it in her eyes, the way she moves. She looks exhausted. "Everything that's happened... it's just worn me out. I don't want to hate you all the time, I want to go back to how we used to be but I also don't want to just forgive you and let you think it's all okay. It's not, but I want it to be... eventually."
"Hey," Damon says, placing a hand on her shoulder and gazing down at her fondly. "One day, right?"
It takes a moment for the reference to their little mantra to sink in but once it does Claudia smiles, nodding along. "One day," she agrees.
One day.
[ ALARIC ]
The spell is complete. Klaus opens his eyes.
We don't talk enough,
We should open up,
Before it's all too much,
Will we ever learn?
We've been here before,
It's just what we know
