Hey everybody! Nice to see you again! :)) As always, the only excuse, I can come up with is school! First, I want to thank all of you: You are the best readers ever, thanks for all the support! :))

I still don't own anything of this story, except the idea to write this plot!

Hope you'll enjoy!

Chapter 18: But this is our ungodly hour

Kat's POV

"Long time no see, my love." His voice was so sharp, that he could've cut something with it. I was completely frozen, sitting on the bed and staring at him. The man I had loved so many years ago...or more likely: I stared at what was left of him because the way he looked now resembled a snake, a monster. Now, I could tell easily,that he looked as cold from the outside as he always was within. I knew he wanted me to answer, to say something but I couldn't open my mouth. There were to many questions in my head, to many fears being on my mind. But in the end, I'd have to answer him, that was, if I didn't plan to be killed. "It has been a while, Tom." As I spoke, I looked at the wall. I could never stand to look into this red devil eyes. I heard the creaking sound of his footsteps, coming towards me and a breath of fear came over me. "You still haven't changed a bit, have you, Katerina?" I gulped.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're still that devious little thing with the sharp tongue, that betrayed me so many years ago." I knew I shouldn't provoke him, but I wasn't going to let him win in that matter either.

"I wasn't the one, who betrayed someone in our relationship."

"You weren't?", his voice sounded a bit amused. ,"Then tell me, my dear, how do you remember our story?" The way he said 'our story' sounded odd. The image of me and him acting all in love around each other was getting more and more difficult to think of.

"As far as I remember, everything was great until you wanted me to turn into one of your little brainless slaves!" A flash of red light rushed towards me and I felt a sharp pain coming through my whole body.

"Well, my love, as far as I remember, everything was great until I found out, that you lied to me all the time, You never planned to tell me your dirty little secret, did you?" I breathed out heavily.

"Were you ever in love with me?" I asked him with a weak voice ignoring his question. Again a spell hit me and I was lifted in the air just to be thrown into the next corner.

"I asked you first." I slowly stood up and looked him in his eyes.

"No.", I began while walking towards him "I never planned on telling you." His eyes narrowed.

"Would you care to tell me why?" I snorted.

"Because I wanted to protect you." But I said it quietly, in an ashamed way. How was I ever able to love him? The qustion circled around my head.

"To protect me?!" I assumed the sound he was doing was his way of laughing. "I am the most POWERFUL wizard of all time, you foolish girl! The last thing I need, is protecion!"

"You're wrong!" I shouted. " You think having that much power ist protecting you? Well, newsflash: It's even putting you more in danger!" He waved his wand and my arm started to bleed.

"STOP LYING! YOU WOULDN'T CARE NOW, WOULD YOU! YOU NEVER DID! YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO CARE, KATHERINE! I CAN'T SAY YOU EVER WERE!" Shocked by his words, I stepped a few steps backwards. It was hard to hear that from people like Elena or Damon, but Tom? He wasn't able to feel either, but despite of that, he still was able to tell me, what so many people before him told me.

He walked towards the door and I sat on the ground.

"I did care, Tom." I whispered. "Believe it or not: Altough all the people just pretended to like you, because of your power: I always liked you for who you were."

He slowly turned around and faced me with an mixed expression.

"Nice to know Katherine. Can't say the same about you."And then he walked out and left me with my memories and hopes.

After sitting here for what seemed like ages, I decided to atleast try and sneak out. Problem was: Locked door, looked window and no other way out, but I did have my strenght: So I kicked the door open and found myself in a large, dark hall. God, what is this place: A twisted Wonderland?

*Meanwhile with the others*

Damon's POV

"What if we try to free Katherine?" This naive little kids were seriously driving me nuts.

"Yes, we're going to just walk in, take her and then wander togehter into the sunset." I said while rolling my eyes. Stefan shot an angry glare at me.

"We need to trick them",he began "Problem is: Klaus and Elijah are hard to trick."

"How about we just let her die, grab the moonstone and run away as fast as we can?" A long silence, didn't seem to be the worst idea.

"No, we won't let her die." I turned around, surprised to hear that from Elena.

"Yeah, Elena, of course you're going to save her, because YOU owe her so much, right? " She shook her head and sighed.

"Katherine and I may have never really gotten along, but she took the moonstone in the first place, didn't she? Did anyone of you ask yourself why she did that?"

"No matter what you think, she didn't do it for you" I spat and Elena stood up and walked up to me with an angry face.

"Maybe she didn't...or she did, but watever her motive was, it helped us, didn't it? And I believe she deserves a second chance for that!" I put my glass on the table.

"Elena is right.", Stefan declared, then he turned around to the magical kids. "Is there any spell we could try, something, that could help us to trick them and get Katherine out of there?" We all looked at them, as the girl spoke up.

"I'm not sure it will work, but we could fake a moonstone."

Now, that was an idea.

That's it for now, I didn't have much time lately, sorry. School is getting harder and it seems that my free time is as rare as that moonstone :D

But since you're all so amazing, I promise to try and write more for you. :)))

Thanx for sticking with this story so far.

Xoxo

Kat;)