A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! It really does mean so much to have your input and to hear about how you respond to the characters and their actions. Some of your concerns were already being addressed in my mental plans while others gave me food for thought and will be addressed in later chapters. Please keep reading.
Elijah joined his brother for a drink while Klaus's minions guarded Katerina in her bedroom. "Brother, what are your plans in regards to our visitor?"
Klaus scoffed. "You're not still burning that old flame for her, are you brother? Because although we've recently reconciled our relationship I have no inclination to forgive and forget. You would do well to follow my example," he said, sipping his brandy.
"Still, I can't believe you actually did it," Caroline spoke. "I mean, I get it. The bitch smothered me with a pillow; I would have probably done the same, but I guess I'm surprised at this whole 'befriend Klaus' part."
"I know," Elena said, her compassionate side coming out. "And it's not like I just blindly handed her over to him. There were conditions for that, too."
"And Klaus agreed," Stefan questioned her.
"It wasn't like he had a choice. I hid her body while I waited for him to meet me," Elena shifted in her seat. "Even though I couldn't think of anyone more deserving than her to suffer Klaus's vengeance, I couldn't just give her to him without making sure that she was taken care of. I made a list of demands and he swore to keep his word," she told them. "Especially when I said that Caroline felt the same."
"You said what," the blonde demanded. "Like he would even believe that I would care about her well being."
"Which is what he said," the doppelganger flipped her hair, "but then I urged him to think about who you are," she stared her friend in the eyes. "Caroline Forbes; Miss Mystic Falls and the girl he loves. I reminded him that you were the most compassionate person I had ever met and how I was sure he would say the same. Then I told him that there was something in him; something good that only you have seen, and asked him to try to be the kind of man you could love back. He wants to be a better man, Caroline. For you. So I used that to my advantage."
"I love Tyler," the other girl whispered. Trying to convince herself.
"I know you do, but that doesn't change the fact that some part of you is drawn to him. Hey," she placed a hand gently on her friends knee to calm her, "been there, done that. I know how it works and only you will be able to decide how everything turns out-but he loves you. I only used those feelings to do the same thing you would have done. If Klaus is capable of rehabilitation than some small part of me has to believe that she is too."
"So what were your conditions," Stefan asked.
"Well, my conditions were based on my knowledge of Klaus and the way he thinks. Firstly, we know he's going to make more hybrids. I asked that his hybrids stay out of Mystic Falls unless called upon and they-for lack of a better term- be programmed never to do any of us harm. No biting, no neck breaking, etc."
"And condition two," Damon poured himself another drink.
"Condition number two being that he doesn't physically do her any harm. The blood donations are whatever, but he can't actually torture her physically. Mentally, emotionally, verbally I have no control over that. If he wants to use his talents to get into her head then whatever but I made sure there'd be no finger breaking, punching; anything that wasn't consensual."
"But he can totally mind fuck her," Damon pondered this. "I'm good with that," he said and made his way over to sit next to her.
"Okay," Caroline said. "What's number three?"
Elena leaned into Damon, his hand running over her back in circles. "Number three is about Klaus's desire to ensure further doppelgangers. Once upon a time he offered to protect me and make sure I had to opportunity to have a perfect, normal little small town life and family. Sooner or later he's going to want Katherine to have a child."
"Katherine," Matt scoffed. "With a baby? Yeah, right. I mean, I hate to sound harsh but that kid would have better luck being raised by Andrea Yates," he told them.
"Yeah, well I made him promise not to use her as a broodmare. He won't force her to have a child right away or with a certain donor. Klaus is going to protect Katherine like he would have if it was me. The child will have the best of the best. Also, I made him promise that he would let Katherine lead a long and healthy life. No killing her or compelling her to walk into traffic."
"What a shame," Damon bit and received sharp looks from his girlfriend and Blondie.
"Think about it though," Elena responded. "Now that she's human, she's just a scared nineteen year old girl. Not that different from the scared eighteen year old who woke up in a morgue," referring to herself.
"But do you really expect for him to keep his word," Jeremy asked. "He's known for being kind of shady. If there's any way to get out of a deal he'll find it."
Nodding, Elena understood where her brother was coming from. "I know, and that's condition number four. Once a month he'll send me an e-mail that he will CC to Caroline with pictures of her and an update so we can be sure she's alright. And I know he'll find his way to have fun while cleverly keeping our agreement intact but I wouldn't expect less from him. I'm just hoping that there doesn't have to be anymore hate."
"You did the right thing," Caroline giggled that enthusiastic laugh and bit her tongue. "And while I might have done the same, I still hate that Katherine gets to experience that kind of forgiveness. She's done so much to everyone."
"But now she's human," Elena reminded them. "All of the animosity and hatred; the desire for revenge, that was satisfied when I took her life from her. Because that's exactly what I did. One day she's going to die, and it was at my hands."
Klaus turned back to his brother, unwilling to assuage his fears about what was in store for the little vixen currently occupying their home. While he intended to keep his word to the other Petrova it didn't mean that he had to tell Elijah or Katerina about it. There was still a large part of him that remained cruel and sadistic and he hadn't let that part out in such a long time. The mental terror was about to begin.