Mystic Falls was long behind her and most of her enemies believed she was dead. The plan had gone off without a hitch. Katherine knew Klaus had gotten word of her death and she enjoyed her last few years of freedom. She knew it wouldn't last forever; Klaus was too smart for that. But a few years of peace was all she needed.
She was living in St. Petersburg, Russia- a place she believed to be free of people from her past. Katherine was walking into her house when someone spoke behind her.
"Katerina."
She tensed as she turned around.
"Elijah."
When he first saw her walking down the road, he'd been sure he was hallucinating. But as she came closer, he realized she was real. She wasn't dead.
"I didn't expect to see you here since I received word of your death."
"Well, people get things wrong."
"Or you make them."
"Yes well, I better get inside." She turned and opened the door but stopped when he called her name.
"I'm glad that you're alive."
She took a deep breath not turning to face him. She'd worked for decades to get rid of her feelings for him. He helped Klaus hunt her. She feared him as much as she feared Klaus.
"I won't be for long now that you know."
"If Klaus finds out you're alive, he will do it on his own."
Someone called Elijah's name, and she used that distraction to run not caring if anyone saw her going at a vampire's speed. She made it back to her house in minutes. Once inside she allowed herself to breathe. Maybe he would leave her be.
Katherine was walking through town when someone called her name, her old name. She turned to face Elijah.
"You can't call me that."
"As I recall, it is your name."
"Not anymore."
"Yes, you go by Katherine Pierce now," he said. "But you will always be Katerina to me."
"That person no longer exists."
"As long as you live she does."
She sighed. "I'm not her Elijah. I can't be."
"Why not?"
"She was weak. I don't have that luxury anymore."
"I don't believe there's ever been a time when you were weak Katerina."
"Then you obviously don't know me very well."
"We both know that isn't true."
Her jaw clenched, and she sped up her pace.
"It doesn't matter," she said. "It changes nothing."
"What if I said I loved you? That I've loved you for nearly four hundred years. Would that change anything?"
"I thought you didn't believe in love."
"I didn't but you seem to be able to change my views on many things."
"You've helped him," she snapped. "You and Klaus have been hunting me for four hundred years. And you think you have the right to say that to me."
"If Niklaus knew-"
"He'd try to kill me? He's already doing that Elijah. All because I refused to die for him."
"I wanted to help you. I had found a way."
"You gave me no reason to trust you. You were deceiving me the entire time."
"Katerina-"
"Just leave me be Elijah," she said before walking away.
_
Katherine knew she shouldn't have gone to the party. Something in her gut had warned her to stay away. And when she arrived Elijah was there. She'd avoided him but knew that it was only a matter of time. If he wanted to speak to her, he'd find her. When he did, he simply asked her to dance.
Now they were moving across the dance floor. Before she'd learned the truth Katherine had always felt strangely safe in Elijah's arms. She'd barely known him but something told her that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. Even now when she knew Klaus could be on his way she felt relaxed in a way, she hadn't since the night she ran. It felt like home.
After that night they kept seeing each other. Soon it stopped be by mistake. Getting close to each other was dangerous, and they both knew it. It didn't stop them though. It wasn't uncommon for them to be seen together walking through town together, going to the theater or ballet. It was so easy for them to fall back in love. Neither one of them had admitted it out loud, but they felt the same.
_
Many people who knew them believed they were in a relationship, but there were a few who were oblivious. They were at a party and a woman openly flirted with Elijah throughout the evening. Elijah had politely rejected her advances but Katherine still felt her anger soar. SHe stayed away from him the rest of the night and didn't say a word on their way home. She stepped inside and tried to close the door but he stopped it.
"Katerina."
She ignored him and walked inside.
"What is wrong Katerina?"
"Nothing. I'm just not impressed by the woman throwing herself at you all night."
"I told her I was not interested."
"It sure did take you a while."
"Why are you angry?"
"Why? Because I love you, alright?" She snapped. "Because I. Love. You."
She froze when the words left her mouth. She turned away from him and headed toward the stairs.
"Katerina do not walk away."
"Leave."
"Do you really expect me to ignore what you said?"
She turned to face him. "You don't believe in love. That's what you told me."
"Back then that was true." He stepped closer. "Katerina, you've changed many things I once believed."
"Don't."
"I love you, Katerina. I have loved you for centuries."
Neither of them was sure who moved first, but their lips touched for the first time since 1492. They'd spent years loving each other, loving each other. A simple kiss filled every need they'd had since they'd been apart. It was a feeling they'd craved but no one else could offer.
_
The weeks after that night had been the best either of them had in centuries. They both ignored the threat of Klaus finding out about them and their own history. They allowed themselves to be happy. It wouldn't last forever. It would be foolish to hope for it, and it had been years since Katherine had allowed herself to hope for anything.
"Miss. Katherine, I've been keeping my eyes and ears open as you said."
Katherine was alone in her house when a young man walked inside. She noticed that his heart was beating faster than normal and he was fidgeting.
"Is something wrong?" She asked.
"I heard that a Klaus Mikaelson was on his way here."
That name made Katherine freeze. He had found her.
"That is the man you told me to look out for right?"
"Yes, James thank you."
She took a deep breath. It all made sense. Elijah being in Russia at the same time as her wasn't a coincidence. Making her fall in love with him was the plan to whole time. He knew she would let her guard down. And now that she was at her weakest he would hand her over to Klaus.
"James get a carriage, but keep it discrete."
Hours later when Elijah arrived to warn her she was already gone.