The Constant Conversation

"I always prefer tea than coffee." She said, taking a sip of her coffee from the cup. If only he had chosen a better place than this then she'd probably have some tea – the real ones, from London.

"And you always prefer champagne than wine." Tom replied, putting his cup of coffee down on the round table. Elizabeth smiled back as he smiled warmly at her. "I do admit that I was a tad jealous of the fact that you've ran off back to my homeland with the hybrid." He added, giving her an amused smirk although Elizabeth sensed his irritation with how his piercing eyes stared directly at hers.

"France was wonderful," Elizabeth said, trying to sound casual, and Tom only arched his eyebrows in acknowledgement of that fact. "And I do wish you were with me there; it was a bit unexpected."

"I'll say…" He said. "Klaus probably got to you really good since you've disappeared for two whole months with him." He then snickered, sipping his coffee again as she reached for his hand and laid hers on top of his.

"Oh don't be jealous, Tom." She said, still smiling warmly at him. She was in a good mood, and however Tom felt, she was patient enough today to handle it. Besides, Tom had always been so kind with her, he never lost control of his composure whenever he was irritated. That was how much of a gentleman he was. "I know that you don't like Nik, but we did have fun. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have seen France again."

"And clearly, Klaus has done marvelous things for you ma cherie. Like, I don't know" – he shrugged coolly – "killed you and made you rot for centuries in Charlottesville." He waved his hand and made a sarcastic smile at her. Now it was Elizabeth's turn to roll her eyes. She knew that it irritated him of that fact that she went to Paris with Klaus and not him. If only he knew what she really wanted – it'll only make him more furious, and practically surprised.

And of course, she blocked her mind for him not to read.

"Don't be so bitter," Elizabeth said with an air laugh and withdrew her hand that was on top of his. Tom only sniffed – the kind of pffffft that Frenchmen can only make – as he looked away. Elizabeth wasn't here to accept this kind of treatment. She was here to make a proposition, to make things better for her to say the least and for her friendship with Tom.

"So, why did you come back here in New York?" He asked, looking at her again and picking up his cup of coffee.

"I came to see you," She said matter-of-factly, and Tom only arched his eyebrows in feign interest. No matter what Tom thought she was doing, she was telling the truth. But why would he try to even prove it to him? It wasn't necessary.

"You came to see me?" He asked in disbelief, and sipped on his coffee again. Elizabeth nodded as she took a pinch of croissant and popped it into her mouth. "But why would you want to see me?" Elizabeth chewed until she finally swallowed to reply.

"I want to see you before I head back to Mystic Falls." She replied, pinching on the croissant again.

"Back with dear Niklaus, I assume?" He teased, cocking an eyebrow and Elizabeth looked at him with her piercing green eyes, darting directly at his. He then raised his hands as if to say he'll stop, but then he shrugged.

"Even if he was there, it does not matter." She said, saying it revealing her true, thick accent and sat up straight and looked at the table as she arched her eyebrows in annoyance. "I want you to come with me." She added firmly, this time looking directly at his eyes. Tom then laughed as she popped another pinch in her mouth, really irritated this time.

"My darling, ma cherie, mi amore," He said, putting his hand on top of hers, looking absolutely amused as his eyes dance and she only looked at them dead and not amused. "I am flattered, but I do not belong to a small town like that." She hastily withdrew her hand from under his as she glared at him.

"I knew you'd refuse." She said with a nasty smirk and crossed her arms over her chest. "Certainly, a French ambassador couldn't just simply disappear to a small town in Virginia. Don't you think that you are far too old to try and belong with these petty little humans?" She added with a snarl, waving her hands in the air to make a point. Tom arched his eyebrows as he placed his hand on the edge of the table, looking at Elizabeth in surprise. In which, Elizabeth knew he was. Her lovely mood just went down the drain, and obviously, Tom has already forgotten this side of her.

"Well I certainly do not know how to react to that…" He said slowly with a smile slowly curving on his lips.

"Then do not certainly try…" Elizabeth shot back. "However, I do like to as you something."

"What is it?"

"Damon Salvatore did not follow me to Paris, and I believe that you know why." She said while slowly smiling. Tom leaned back.

"Ah," He said as he exhaled. "I see you have read my mind earlier." Elizabeth then gave him an innocent shrug and still maintaining her charming smile. "Fine, I overhead him and a woman talking that night when he was about to leave; she insisted that he'd be a fool if he still followed you off to Paris." He sipped on his coffee again as Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. A young woman (She assumed) was talking to Damon. Her Damon! And he took that woman's word whoever the hell she was! But, Damon would never just take anyone's word. He was as hard-headed as a rock.

"And do you know who that woman is?" She asked, still with her eyes narrowed. And then, Tom gave her a slow smile.

"It was Katherine Pierce." After he said it, her eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"Katherine Pierce?" Elizabeth repeated, dazedly, trying to absorb the information. "Why, I'd never…"

"It is quite obvious that she is still trying to run away from Niklaus," He said, amused and mocking. But Elizabeth only glared away and rolled her eyes in irritation.

"I should have killed her when I had the chance." She hissed. And then, she turned to him, glaring. "She was lucky that I did not rat her out to Nik, otherwise she'd be really dead." Tom smirked as he nodded and kept sipping on his coffee. Elizabeth was fuming. At first when Tom said that Damon was talking to a woman, and that he actually took her word, she immediately thought that it was Elena because Damon was in love with her. But now, Damon was Elizabeth's. He was hers, even without stating it, even without Damon himself knowing. He was indeed hers. But then, she immediately turned back to Tom, remembering her real plan especially now because she can cause more mischief in her fiery. "Don't you see, Tom, darling?" She asked, with a yearning look as she reached for his hand. "This is why I need you to come with me in Mystic Falls. You and only you are my one true ally. Nik might be trying to earn my loyalty, but we know that it might be false."

Tom only nodded, deep thought.

"We can have so much fun, you can kill anyone without anyone even knowing, you can feed, and we can cause mischief… just like in the good ole' days!" She said, giving an air laugh. Tom smiled. "Please Tom, come with me…" She insisted. Then Tom looked at her then gave her a warm smile.

"Alright," He breathed, and she grinned in delight.

"Great!" She exclaimed. "I shall book us a flight! Oh and Tom?"

"Yes?"

"Do promise me that you'd get rid of those tacky suits. They do not belong in a small town like Mystic Falls." She said, and Tom laughed.

Katherine walked out of the bar and went to the parking lot where her car was. She'd been hanging out here in this small bar that is a fifteen minute drive away from Mystic Falls. True enough that Mystic Falls is still as boring as ever, and she preferred it here in this little bar when strangers just hang out, get drunk, have fun, and pretty much die because she feeds on them.

She clicked on her car's remote to open the lock, and continued walking until she felt something. She turned around and looked around but found that it was just an empty parking lot without anyone there but her. She gave the place one last look before she turned around again and continued walking. There was something weird that she felt, like someone's presence. But there was no one there, and she'd know if anyone would try to sneak up on her because she is one old vampire. So, Katherine opened her car door, before something pulled her and knocked her down on the ground.

"Hello love," a familiar voice said. Her eyes wide as she quickly stood up, and started running before she was blocked. "Where do you think you're going?" She stared into Klaus' eyes with panic and surprise that she turned away and started running again, but then Klaus pulled her and knocked her on the ground again. This time, before she can even stand up, Klaus was on top of her, holding her wrists. She struggled to let go but he was far too strong.

"How did you find me?" She breathed as she struggled. Fear and panic ran through her veins. In any moment, Klaus can kill her and all her life running away would just be a sick joke. She can perfectly imagine Damon or Stefan joking about it, and laughing hysterically with pure mockery and sarcasm.

"You weren't so hard to find, love." He said with a vicious smile. "In fact, all your running, is rather tiring don't you think? I just didn't have time to chase you down until now."

"What do you want from me?" She demanded when she knew exactly why her overdue judgment is coming. It was centuries ago, when she was human, when she was Klaus' doppelganger. When she knew, she ran away and became a vampire instead. Truly, that enraged Klaus that she knew she'd be killed. Thus, she began to run and run and run… for her and for her life.

"I know about you little deal with dear Elizabeth," He said with his eyes narrowed. "Unfortunately, she doesn't really comply with anything but her own desires – we have a lot in common you see…"

"Let me go!" She demanded again, but he only tightened his grasp on her wrists.

"Not a chance…" He said. And then he started compelling her. "You will keep Damon away from Elizabeth at all costs even if your life depended on it. Otherwise you will meet your final judgment." He then smiled warmly at Katherine. "Now go," – he added and let go of her wrists and stood up – "Before I kill you." She lay there, looking at him with wide eyes, full of panic, and she slowly sat up.

She immediately started running as fast as she could.

Damon walked down the stairs and saw Elena and Stefan with tons of open boxes and stacks of books everywhere. Now, he didn't really know what the hell is going on, but he ought to find out. He then heard Elena and Stefan talking. "I seriously don't know how to start with this." She said with a laugh. He continued going down and saw Stefan carrying stacks of books and put them down on the coffee table.

"What is all this?" He asked, frowning as he took the last step down. Elena looked up and then down again, reading some papers.

"Oh it's this book sale thing," She said. "Stefan and I agreed to help with this thing with Mrs. Lockwood." Damon looked at Stefan who only shrugged his shoulders and so, Damon continued to walk into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"But don't they have a library or something?" He asked, picking up a dusty book and blew it. Elena frowned as she watched.

"Okay so I have to separate fiction with non-fiction." Stefan said, clapping his hands to get rid of the dust. "This should be easy."

"Not likely." Elena said, matter-of-factly. "We've got over fifty books, it'll take us time."

"Hold on a second," Damon said, raising a finger. "Are you donating some of our books?" He narrowed his eyes as he looked suspiciously at Stefan, who only frowned this time. Damon read his thoughts, and he knew that Stefan had that in mind. If Stefan dared to touch his books, then he'd seriously be furious, and Stefan knew that perfectly well.

"No, but I will be donating some of mine." Stefan said calmly. And Damon leaned back, and nodded. Stefan started separating books, and Elena was helping him. That was, until they heard the bell ring. "Did you happen to invite someone?" Stefan asked, inquisitively, and rather annoyed. Damon sat up and looked at the door then at him, cocking an eyebrow.

"No," He said. "But did you?"

"Relax, you guys," Elena breathed. "It's probably Bonnie or Caroline. I told them that they should come and help." Damon then shrugged as he went by the door and opened it. But then, no one was there. Was this some kind of a joke? And then he was about to close the door, until he saw something when he looked down.

An envelope with his name written on it…

He picked it up, closed the door with a bang and went inside. He pursed his lips as he frowned and wandered away. Who would leave some kind of a letter by their doorstep? "What's that?" Stefan asked. Damon shook his head.

"I don't know," He said and began opening it. "It's some kind of a letter."

"Maybe it's an invitation. Who's it from?" Elena asked. Damon continued opening it. He pulled the card away and saw some kind of a not with the same squiggly writing that had written his name.

"I would like to invite you for supper tonight.

I figured that maybe you and I can have a little chat.

We shall expect your arrival by seven."

- Niklaus

He read it out loud and Stefan and Elena didn't look so well. They were both frowning, as Stefan crossed his arms over his chest and Elena hugged herself. He can read it in their expressions. Klaus was back in town and nobody liked it at all. Could this mean that Elizabeth is back too? With that thought, he can feel himself shudder – either with anger, or with guiltiness. "So…" Elena began, a bit inaudible. "Klaus is… Klaus is back." She finally uttered.

"Why is he inviting you for dinner?" Stefan asked.

"I don't know." Damon said, dazed. And that was the truth. He didn't know. But for some reason, he felt as if this was another game that Klaus was playing. Or perhaps, it was Elizabeth who was playing.

"Well… Are you going?" Elena asked. He looked at Elena, who looked back at him with eyes so bright; he can't seem to look away. He forgot how beautiful she was, with the sunlight making her skin shine as if they were so smooth and silky, he can just…

Damon bit his tongue to stop the thoughts.

"Yes." He said firmly. "I am going."

"But…" Elena started saying, but Damon knew what she was about to say. That it was a bad idea, that they don't know what kind of tricks Klaus has up on his sleeve for him, that maybe Klaus will kill him, or torture him – those stuff. He was grabbing his leather jacket, ready to leave, probably get a few drinks, walk around, hunt, kill, whatever. "This is a bad idea, Damon!" Elena called, once Damon was already opening the door. And he pretty much didn't care anymore; he just shut the door behind him, and went to his car.

Once they heard the door shut and Damon revved the engine of his sleek black Hummer, Elena looked at Stefan with concerned eyes. Sometimes Stefan feels as if Elena is just too concerned for Damon at this point, especially when Damon started being with Elizabeth more often. It's just too much.

"I know you're worried." Stefan started, and Elena nodded, inhaling deeply.

"I cannot afford to lose anyone anymore, Stefan." She said. "Especially in the hands of Klaus, it's just too much."

"Anyone, or do you mean, specifically Damon?" He asked, rather bitterly. Elena frowned and opened her mouth to say something, but Stefan realized it was too late. He slipped, and now it needs an explanation. But what would he say? That he didn't mean to say it?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elena asked, rather inaudibly.

"Nothing," Stefan grumbled under his breath as he looked down. "Let's just get this stuff over with."

"No," Elena said firmly. "Tell me." He looked directly in her eyes.

"Elena, it's nothing."

"It's not nothing." She insisted. "You know you can always talk to me, Stefan."

"I know," Stefan said. "But we have nothing to talk about, so can we just get this over with?" He voice grew and he was frustrated with himself. He saw Elena's eyes widen and her eyebrows arch up.

"Okay…" She said quietly.

And they continued separating books and packing them silently until Caroline and Bonnie arrived to help. Stefan then swore silently under his breath.

**Author's Note: I definitely would love to hear from you! Please do write me a review and maybe you can also check out some of my other Fan Fictions by visiting my profile page. Thank you! ;)**