Author's Note: I was going to do this all in one Chapter but there's just too much to tell in one so I'm going to break this into two parts!

Chapter 7: Telling Tales Part I

By the time Damon got back to Elena's house everyone was already sleeping. It was only ten but he knew everyone was exhausted. Damon didn't know why he felt this way but he didn't feel it was necessary to wake Bonnie or Lucy to let him in.

He stared from the open window at Elena's curled up form on her bed. Her back was turned and her chestnut colored hair was fanned out on her pillow. He knew she hadn't quite found slumber yet, but didn't want to alert her of his presence. He could handle a night out here just making sure she was okay.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marques sat nursing a scotch in the room he picked out in the mansion. He had hatred running through his veins fueling his determination to kill Katherine. She deceived him and she would pay for it with her life.

"Drinking yourself into a stupor…over Katherine?" Quinn asked waltzing into Marques' room.

The youngest Original only turned his eyes to look at Quinn. "I thought I told you to stay out of my head with your psyche reading." Marques took a long swallow and leaned his head against the back of the chair.

Quinn laughed and sat in the chair across from him. "I wasn't in your head! It was just an observation. I get it…you're pissed at her, but you heard Ramsey this isn't the time for your vengeance. Klaus has plans for her." Quinn pulled a cigarette out of the pack in his front pocket and lit it. He took a long drag and blew it out. "Katherine will get what's comin' to her, he'll make sure of that." He drawled out in his Irish inflection.

Marques shook his head. "Nothing Klaus will do will be what she deserves." He mumbled.

Quinn laughed. "Wow Marq…you really have quiet the imagination if you think that!" he flicked the filter with his thumb, knocking the ash off the end.

"She betrayed me!" Marques pinned his eyes on the older vampire.

Quinn rolled his eyes. "She betrayed us all. What separates you from the rest of us?" When all Marques did was continue to glare, Quinn's eyes lit up. "You loved her! Well that's rich! You should have known to never fall in love with a Petrova girl." Quinn paused and pointed at him. "Look what happened with Klaus...and Tatiana. It's best to keep you're feelings out of it when it comes to a Petrova." Quinn puffed on his cigarette again before standing and leaving the room.

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Elena woke up and stretched lithely. It was hard for her to fall asleep last night knowing Damon hadn't come back. She was sure he was okay, but he promised he'd be back. She looked over to her window, and saw that she had left it open last night. She went to close it and jumped out of her skin when she heard his voice.

"Hello, Elena." He smirked knowing he would get a reaction.

She placed a hand over her heart and sighed in relief. "Jesus Damon you scared me." She playfully smacked his arm. "Why didn't you come back last night?" she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to be mad at him but she couldn't when he gave her that half smile.

"I did." He admitted as he casually leaned against the barrier. She giggled at his ability to use it as a support for his weight.

She frowned. "You did?" If he came back last night, what was he doing outside her window?

He nodded. "Everyone was sleeping, you guys were exhausted so I didn't wake Bonnie or Lucy to let me in." he shrugged as if it were nothing. But Elena knew it was something.

She raised a brow and titled her head a little. "So you stayed outside my window all night just so you could let us sleep?" she reached forward and touched his forehead. "Are you okay? You're not getting sick are you?" she teased.

He mocked laughed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah I know, it was a little…out of character for me, but after everything with The Originals and now with Stefan too, I figured sleep was rare in this household; although I would like to come in now...if that's not too much to ask." He hinted sarcastically as he blinked his eyes innocently.

Elena laughed and went to get Bonnie. Bonnie walked in to see Damon leaning against the barrier looking out to the sky lost in thought. She didn't warn him, she just brought down the shield and watched and laughed as he fell into Elena's room ass first.

Even Elena couldn't stop herself from clutching her stomach. Damon shot up and turned around to glare at the witch. She shrugged. "Sorry…I couldn't resist. It's amusing to see you be graceless for a change." Bonnie gave him a half smirk.

Damon frowned, his eyes darting to the side before locking on her again. "Was that a compliment?" When Bonnie just smiled audaciously and left, Damon turned back to Elena. He clapped his hands together loudly. "Get dressed…we're going out."

Elena sighed in relief. "Thank God! Where are we going?" she moved to her closest to pick out what she was going to wear for the day.

"Boarding House." When she turned and gave him a look that clearly said 'really?' he continued. "I know, not exactly a place you want to be but we have company waiting for us there." He said cryptically.

Elena sighed and shooed Damon out of her room so she could get ready.

Twenty minutes later Damon and Elena pulled into the driveway. They both stayed in the car for a minute. "Who are we meeting here Damon? If it's Stefan I don't want to talk to him." She affirmed resolutely.

"It's not Stefan." She stepped out of the car and a spilt second later he was at Elena's door opening it for her. When she stepped out they slowly walked up to the door and entered with Damon leading her to the living room.

"You didn't answer my question Damon." She chided. "Who are we meeting here?" Her question was answered when she heard the tell tale sound of heels clicking on hardwood.

"Hello Elena." Katherine greeted in her usual way. "It seems we need to talk…drink?" Katherine held up her glass in offering which clearly contained a sticky red substance.

Elena's eyes were wide in horror, and then she turned to Damon who seemed perfectly calm. "What's going on? Why is she here?" she asked trying to keep her voice from trembling.

Katherine continued to saunter over until she stood in front of her doppelganger. She took a sip from the glass, and licked her lips. "I told you Elena…it's about time we talk. If you want to live you're going to have to learn how to survive first…and to do that, you need to learn how I survived. You want a history lesson?" Katherine asked sinisterly, her dark eyes boring into Elena's.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It had been ages since he had been back to this town. And he marveled at how different and yet the same it was; the old buildings, the close knit community, the air of supernatural energy. He looked out the window as the human he compelled drove him through Mystic Falls. He smiled to himself when he pulled up to the sidewalk next to a modest sized house. Her house. His smile turned into a baleful smirk when she skipped down the porch steps followed by none other than Damon Salvatore, and hopped into the black car in the driveway.

He commanded the human to pull away, and head to the address Brea gave him. He was enthused to hear they had found the doppelganger, and not only her but Katherine as well. Ah Katherine…she that deceived him, stealing his moonstone and running leaving him to wait hundreds of years to find her yet again. Soon he would have both Petrova's at his capable hands and the thought thrilled him to now end.

Today he would learn his surroundings, reunite with family and feed…tomorrow he would study her.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Katherine placed a hand on Elena's shoulder and pushed her down into a chair. "To know who you are you have to know where you came from." She sat across from her on the couch crossing her legs and Damon sat on the arm of the comfy chair Elena was sitting on. "In Bulgaria in 1490 I had a child. A girl…out of wedlock. I was considered a shame, a disgrace to my family and I was cast out of Bulgaria and forced to abandon my daughter." Katherine's voice didn't hold any emotion as she spoke and her eyes would shift from Elena to the glass in her hand. "I had no where to go and nothing to my name, so image how thrilled I was when I met a handsome nobleman willing to help me out." Her eyes rolled bitterly when she said 'thrilled'. She took another sip of blood.

"Klaus." Elena stated, already knowingly that's who she was talking about.

Katherine nodded once. "I was taken with him at first…" he eyes locked coldly on Elena's. "Until I found out what he was, and what he wanted from me. He took me to England and helped me to adapt and fit in." She finished her blood and stood up, moving to pour herself a strong drink. "I had heard a story when I was a little girl from my family about an ancestor of mine that met an untimely death at the hands of a shaman. She was a sacrifice for the 'curse of the monsters' as they told me." Katherine moved back to the couch and resumed her position. "I thought it was just a tall tale until I overheard Klaus talking about the Sun and the Moon curse with Brea and Ramsey one evening."

1490 England

"It is her Klaus…after two hundred years the doppelganger has finally shown herself. The curse can finally be broken!" Brea exclaimed happily.

Klaus sat at the desk with his feet up flipping the moonstone in his hand. "Yes…we have the doppelganger in our possession, the witch should be easy enough to find; it is only the lycanthrope we may have trouble tracking down." He contemplated, his brow furrowed deep in though, his voice deep in his German intonation.

"And the vampire sacrifice?" Ramsey asked from Brea's side.

Klaus waved a hand at him in a sign of dismissal. "Not to worry…any one of you should find it easy to damn a poor soul. My concern is Katerina."

Katerina swallowed hard from behind the wall.

"She is insolent and defies me daily." He squinted in discontent. "I worried she will lose interest in my charm."

Brea frowned prettily. "Why do you not compel her? Surely she would not protest then."

Klaus locked eyes on her and smiled. "I happen to like the fight in her; it gratifies me to no end. Much like Tatiana." His eyes quickly cast downward before he shot out of his seat to stand in front of the couple. "Unfortunately for her, she will fight no more." A smirk grew on his handsome face. "In a few days time, every drop of Katerina's blood will be drained from her body, and every vampire hiding in the shadows may finally walk in the daylight."

They all laughed, while Katerina covered her mouth and stepped back quietly. "Give this the Marques for safe keeping, he has proven himself greatly as of late." That was all Katerina heard before rushing back to her chambers.

Katherine sighed looking at Damon then Elena. "So I ran like hell…but not before grabbing something first."

Later that night Katerina prepared herself for her mission. Dressed in only her night wear, which was a white silk gown, she padded as quietly as she could to Marques' room. It was in the far wing of the manor, and it took her a while to get there. Thankfully Klaus, Brea and Ramsey were hunting, leaving only Quinn and Marques in the large manor. Quinn was entertaining a guest in his own chambers so Katerina was confident in herself to complete her goal.

She didn't have to knock, because Marques had the door open before she could. "Miss Katerina." He greeted with a question in his eyes. He was the youngest of the Originals, founded by Klaus and the others in America nearly four hundred years prior. "What are you doing out of your chambers?" his dark hair was ruffled with sleep and he pulled his rob around his lithe form. Katerina appreciated his boyish looks before batting her eyes at him.

"I was frightened." She started feigning the English accent she acquired when moving here. "The storm outside leaves me sleepless…I was hoping I might find comfort in your chambers." She flirted, stepping into the room.

Marques turned around and looked at her with fear on his face. "You must not be in here, Katerina. If Klaus were to find out-"

"Which he wont." She cut him off with a smile. She stepped up to him and placed a hand to his chest. "I promise." She turned her eyes down sheepishly. "I cannot hide the way I feel, Marques. It is not easy to pretend I am not fond of you." She caught his eyes and smiled sweetly. "On the nights that Klaus will have me in his chambers…" she feigned an uneasy tone in her voice. "I pretend the hands touching me belong to you." Katerina trailed both hands up and down his chest as she gazed lovingly in his eyes. "For one night I would like not to pretend." She hinted and before she knew it Marques kissed her passionately before kissing a trail down her neck and chest.

Katerina took that moment to scan the room for what she came for. She found the wooden box that she was sure contained the moonstone sitting on the bedside table and smiled.

"Mmm…Marques." She whispered breathlessly. "Please do not tease me any further." Marques led her to the bed and proceeded to show her the love that he hid for her sake as well as his own.

She was surprised by how great of a lover he was. He was attentive and gentle, and brought her to release many times before he did so himself. She was happily sated and a little sore when he fell to her side, brushing the hair away from her face.

"Oh that was amazing!" she over gushed, building his ego. She winced as she stretched her body. "The only downfall is the pain I will carry tomorrow." She giggled bashfully and rolled towards him placing her hand on his naked chest.

Marques smiled and tapped her nose. "Well that will just not do, will it my love?" he asked kissing her supple lips. "Klaus would find that suspicious. We must heal you quick." He let his fangs descend before biting into his wrist.

She smiled. It worked just as she hoped it would. Marques would be too afraid Klaus would find out and kill him that he would not risk suspicious. She clamped her lips around the holes he created and drank deeply.

Elena frowned. "You tricked him."

She nodded. "I had to. I needed that moonstone…it was the only reassurance I had that I would be safe, that and Marques' blood in my system." Katherine sighed and looked at her nails. "I waited for the right moment. He left his chambers to make sure Klaus was still out of the manor. I grabbed the moonstone and hid it in my shift before telling him I was retiring to my room. He didn't ask questions. The next morning I ran." Katherine told them. "I got as far as I could before I hung myself from a tree." She smiled bitterly.

Elena gasped. "You turned yourself." She stated in realization.

"Yup." Katherine popped the 'p'. "I knew it was my only way out. They needed human blood, as a vampire I was no good to them. I had to protect myself." She shrugged.

Damon frowned from his position beside Elena. "What happened next?"

Katherine's eyes turned soft and she looked to a spot just above Elena's head. "They chased me down, and when I didn't turn up…they sent me a message." She took a calming breath. "He killed my family; my mother, my father, my sisters, everyone I loved…he wanted me to suffer."

Elena studied Katherine, and noticed that speaking of her family was her vulnerability. It made her feel something; pain, remorse, guilt. And just as quick as she showed it, she shut it off.

"Klaus doesn't give up. I ran for hundreds of years before he found me again…well Ramsey did. I tried to keep a low profile in Mystic Falls, but he found me anyway. So, I thought up a plan to fake my death so I could finally live freely." Katherine swung her eyes to look at Damon and glared at him. "But someone fucked it up. Damon, trying to be the hero, attempted to free me…getting both you and your brother killed in the process." She grumbled sipping her drink. "So I handed off the moonstone to George Lockwood in exchange for my freedom, knowing he had no idea how to use it." She chuckled darkly.

Elena took it all in, putting together all missing pieces. Her head shot up when she remembered something. "Who's Tatiana?"

Katherine smirked. "I'm glad you asked."

Author's Note: Okay so there's part one of Tall Tales. Like I said before I'm going to be using facts Katherine stated in the show as well as some facts of my own. Hopefully it all makes sense to you, but if you have any questions I'll clear them up for you. Rose didn't turn Katherine in this story mostly because I wanted to show how Katherine was devious even before she was turned. I know she tricked Trevor, who still applies but I wanted it to be an Original to give the story a little more plot. Next chapter you're going to learn about Tatiana…who she was and what happened with her. Thank you for reading…please review!