Just a very, very small piece of Steferine. This is my version of what should happen right after 4x18 ;) Prom -will- be included eventually!

"But what kind of heart doesn't look back?"

'Breathe Again' - Sara Bareilles

Chicago, 1987

The crowd was raging. Hands were high in the air and headlights flashed over exuberantly twitching bodies. Jon Bon Jovi was doing a guitar solo while practically screaming into the microphone. His husky voice filled the concert hall and electrified everything.

Skilfully Katherine pushed her way through the sweaty surge of people. Many guys and even the one or other girl stopped their dancing for a second to gape at her, captivated by her striking beauty, but she didn't pay any attention to them.

There was only one reason she was here tonight.

As she finally spotted him, singing along to Livin' On A Prayer only two arm's lengths away from her, it felt like her entire body started to calm down at the simple sight of him.

She was home again.

Stefan didn't notice her of course. He couldn't. If he did, if he knew she was still alive, he would most likely tell Damon and the rumour of her return would spread itself out until some intermediary eventually told Klaus himself about it.

She had already taken a huge risk by coming here but she just had to see him. It had been too long since she had checked on him last and not being with him physically hurt her.

She watched him moving in time to the beat of the music, leaning closer to his blonde friend and laughing about something she said. Her heart tightened.

In this precise moment she would've given everything to change places with that Lexi girl and be at his side, even if it was just for the time being. She needed to hear his soft voice, needed to feel his piercing eyes on her. She wanted to be the reason why he was smiling.

She wanted to make him happy.

Katherine swallowed hard.

"I haven't forgotten my promise, Stefan", she whispered so quietly that he wouldn't be able to understand her even with his supernatural sense of hearing. "We will be together. You'll see."

Dying with thirst she soaked up every precious detail of him and branded it on her memory.

Then she reluctantly sheared away from his perfect appearance. It was even harder to leave him than the last time. Every century, every second without him was so colourless, so empty.

But this wasn't a goodbye. She would see him again.

One bright day in the future.

All she had to do was never giving up.

Mystic Falls, present day

I talked to my brother. He has agreed to meet you.

See you soon, my Katerina

Katherine looked at Elijah's text for the dozenth time today. Then she took a deep breath before she opened the door of the cab. The driver regarded her outfit with favour, the short, tight mini dress and her long, tanned legs, and she snapped her fingers to get him to stop staring at her in that certain way.

"That's not for you, Mister."

Instead of asking him to help her with carrying the luggage, she took her suitcase in her own hands and dragged it up the stairs to the hotel room Elijah had booked for her. She would have preferred to stay at his place but both of them had agreed that it was better not to push Klaus' patience too far. That he was currently tolerating her in Mystic Falls because she surrendered the cure to him didn't automatically mean he wanted to run into her in the bathroom every morning, too.

She got the keys out from her pocket and opened the door. The apartment was basic, simple and tidy - everything she was not, which was why she immediately felt comfortable here.

Before she even had the chance to unpack, her phone started ringing.

The number calling belonged to Elijah. She hesitated three seconds before she answered with a teasing tone. "And how can I help you today, Mr Mikaelson?"

She heard him chuckle. "With accepting my dinner invitation. I want to take you out, Katerina."

As much as she appreciated how he had been there for her in the past months, as much annoyed was she now that he was intervening with what she had in mind for the evening.
Her brain was working quickly, then she found a solution to not snub his pride and stick to her original plan at the same time. "How about we meet at the Mystic Grill in an hour? I hear their steaks are delicious."

"I would have actually preferred something Italian...", he started protesting but she interrupted him straightaway. "Perfect then. See you there!"

She ended the phone call before Elijah could come up with any further struggling against her decision. Keeping him in leading-strings was much easier than she had imagined.
He full-heartedly believed her sweet looks and her love confessions and the strong way he reacted to them made her feel almost ashamed of the way she was playing him to her advantage.
But then again, all of this wasn't entirely her fault. She needed to achieve Klaus' forgiveness, even if for a short term only. And the end justified the means.
The time had finally come for her to make good on a promise she had once given to someone.
And she would start working on it tonight.

I know this isn't much and I'm so sorry but I'm too tired to continue right now. If you like it and you want me to, I'll upload the next part tomorrow, together with a better description!