Chapter 4 A Glimpse Of The Truth

Such a beautiful day… The warmth of the sun felt more pleasant than ever. The birds seemed to be singing for him.

"Nothing like a good kill to make my day," Damon muttered as he entered the Boarding house. He'd be prouder of himself if he'd gotten Mason to tell him what he knew about Katherine's plan… but still, she needed the lovesick puppy for something and his death meant he'd postponed her getting though with it at least for a while. And he'd been wrong. And being wrong had never felt so good. She wasn't after Stefan. At least that wasn't her main goal. The now dead werewolf was part of her schemes and even though Damon was back to the beginning, to not knowing, what he knew tasted delicious. Maybe there was a chance for them after all. He didn't even care how naïve it was. He had hope again and he didn't want to let go. If he could just find out once and for all what trouble she was planning on causing…

Damon walked into the parlor and poured himself some Scotch to celebrate the small victory. But his happy peaceful moment was short-lived, of course.

"Where were you?" came Stefan's annoying voice from behind him. "Were you with Katherine again?"

"No need to act like a jealous housewife, brother." He put the glass down on the table and approached him. "Look, you have nothing to worry about. Let me tell you a little secret," he put a hand on his brother's shoulder and whispered conspiratorially, "I'm something like a double agent."

Stefan narrowed his eyes at him and opened his mouth to speak. But he himself didn't know whose side he was on… Yeah, he enjoyed annoying Katherine for a change. But was he with or against her? Only time would tell… So he changed the subject.

"How come Elena doesn't come over anymore? She did quite a good job at keeping you from bugging me."

"You know why," Stefan replied and a flash of the disastrous trip to Duke crossed his mind. Katherine, Elena. Elena, Katherine. What a mindfuck. At least there was a chance he could have one of them… "Look," Stefan spoke again, breaking his trance. "Just… break up with her. It's for your own good."

"You think you can persuade to stop seeing Katherine?" Damon laughed stubbornly. The last thing he needed was Stefan to protect him. "I think I may have overestimated your wits."

"Do whatever you want, then," Stefan snapped throwing his hands into the air. "But not here, in this house, in this tow-"

"My house too, Stef!" he patted him on the shoulder.

Then the front door flung open and they both looked at Katherine, whose clenching teeth could probably be heard miles away.

"We have to talk," she seethed. "Now." Well, that was inevitable…

"Wouldn't want to keep the lady waiting," he waved at Stefan as Katherine practically dragged him upstairs to his room.

"Well, how was your day, honey?"

"You shouldn't have killed Mason," Katherine said. No stalling then…

"Oops, I guess you'll have to get yourself a new boy toy," he mocked her. He was quite proud of himself, he couldn't help it. She was fury impersonated. "Why so mad, Kat? Don't tell me wolf boy had gotten under your skin. You sure had him under your spell… But, please, would you really get so low as to fall for a surfer and a werewolf?"

"Stop it! You're not the jealous type," she seethed walking towards him. "If you were-"

"What? I would've killed my brother instead?" he scoffed. "You're not worth the trouble, sweetheart," he whispered. "Though, he has given me a few good reasons to do it…" The muscles on her temples twitched and in a flash her gentle-looking hands were holding him up, choking him. "I got that right, at least, huh? You still love Stefan," he spat out with as much disgust as he could gather.

"As if you don't start drooling every time that sweet, innocent Elena enters in the room," she fired back. And something changed in her eyes, revealing a part of her he had thought nonexistent. She was hurt, vulnerable. Her hold on his throat loosened up. "But that's not the point. Stop trying to stop me. Please."

Oh, how desperate she must have been to articulate that little word…

"Tell me what I shouldn't try to stop then," he asked her softly and for the first time he was concerned. He wanted to know what was going on inside her head, what she wanted, what she needed, what she feared. "Tell me, Katherine."

And he saw it in her eyes, she wanted to. "Not yet," she breathed instead.

"Then what the hell are we doing?" he pushed her aside. "I'm done with this," he pointed at himself and then at her," whatever it is, Kat! You either spill your guts or I'll keep on interfering on whatever you have going on. I don't trust you, ok? I can't! You're probably gonna laugh in my face, but I finally feel at home. Here. And you're a threat to that. And even though I still…" he swallowed hard," love you… I won't let you destroy it. You're not the center of my universe, Katherine. Not anymore. So… speak or get out."

She seemed to consider it for a moment then she shook her head. God, if she only weren't too damn stubborn. "I'm doing this for us, Damon. Soon you'll see." She ran her fingers across the side of his face. He pushed her away.

"It better be soon."

And she was gone.