When Alex awoke the next day, her heart was beating with uncontrollable anger. She felt the deepest hatred towards the vampire who had changed her. The idea of killing him wasn't as disagreeable as it was yesterday morning when she still had hope. Last night, while the horror of the day was just dying down, she had time to read in the library. Countless books of vampires and magic inhabited that library, but no book referred to a way of turning a vampire back into a normal human being. She learned she had the power to wipe out memories and heal quickly. But apparently, Alex was blessed with being the only instrument of change made for someone else.
It was incredibly early in the morning, and she assumed Stefan and Damon were still asleep. She quietly wandered into the bathroom to take a shower of warmth and relaxation, though the latter seemed quite unattainable. The water still seemed unsatisfactory upon her skin. It really was of no purpose to her now. It was just a substance with no sustenance or life as it was to regular people. Again, it started to annoy her, and she ended it quickly.
When she exited the shower, she realized she had no clothes to wear. The pajamas Stefan had bought for her were untidily on the floor where she had thrown them after undressing. But Elena's clothes she had worn yesterday were in her room, and she wondered if she was meant to wear them again today. Maybe Stefan had another outfit prepared for her. She wrapped herself in a towel, reluctantly left the bathroom, and silently tiptoed down the hall to Stefan's room.
For a few moments, she stood outside the door, trying to remove all her embarrassment. Surely Stefan had seen a woman wrapped in only a towel before. He had lived for over a hundred years. Perhaps he would only see her as a sister or a cousin. Besides, he was dating Elena. He wouldn't dare dwell on her near-nakedness for a mere five seconds.
She bashfully knocked on the door and waited for a reply. After a few quiet moments, she considered rushing to her room and dressing in her outfit from yesterday before asking any questions. But a strange confidence filled her, and she lost all concern for Stefan's unsuspecting eyes. Certainly there were more important issues to deal with than her lack of clothing. The whole thing was hardly an event.
"Stefan," she called in a whisper as she opened his door slowly. "Stefan?"
The room was empty and his bed was made. It was Tuesday morning, so it was a possibility he was getting ready for school. She closed the door and started towards the stairs.
Before she could take even one step down the stairs, she remembered Damon. The thought of him seeing her in her current state was a bit more daunting. He had come across as a very sensual person who might reflect on her image too long. But her confidence shone through again, and she stepped down the stairs.
No one was to be found in the entrance hall. She even listened with her extremely sensitive ears, but she could not hear a stir in the house. Vampire are designed to be stealthy, she reminded herself hopelessly. They could be anywhere.
Making her way into the living room, she noticed it too was empty. But she was not too disappointed. She found herself admiring the great beauty of its décor. Great paintings hung upon the wall and strange artifacts rested on the mantel. She started to imagine they were centuries old, still so gorgeous from loving care from previous owners. A magnificent vase caught her eyes, and she examined it closely. Attractive floral patterns were delicately painted onto the tall vase. She started to hear shuffling and voices in the next room, but she did not care for the noise until a few keywords caught her attention.
"Sheriff Forbes, how nice of you to drop by," Stefan greeted, closing the front door gently.
"Good morning, Stefan," the Sheriff smiled. "I need to talk to Damon. Is he here?"
"I believe he's in the cellar," Stefan told casually. "Why don't you come into the living room and sit down. I'll get him for you."
Alex's heart started to beat at a grueling pace. Her mind was thinking in fast motion now, but she could not think of her upcoming actions. She considered dashing through the cellar door and waiting downstairs till the Sheriff left. But that was where Damon was. If he had her same super hearing, which he did, he was already heading up the cellar stairs to the living room. She would no doubt crash into him, perhaps dropping her towel in the process. Or maybe her towel would not even follow her as she ran with her rapid speed. That would create a whole new, horrifying scenario.
At last, her whole brain went blank, and the great double doors leading into the living room opened. Stefan was happily leading Sheriff Forbes into the room. But as soon as he saw Alex, he stopped in his tracks. The Sheriff did no less than the same thing.
"I believe I heard my name," Damon smirked, suddenly entering through the cellar doors. His mouth dropped open as his eyes fell upon Alex, and Alex's own mouth could not stay closed as she realized the true horror of this moment.
"Oh, goodness," Stefan whispered anxiously. The other three present people were thoroughly speechless, though one appeared quite amused. Sheriff Forbes looked as if she were on the verge of a laugh, and her eternal smirk made Alex's heart drop.
"I would say good morning, but I'm afraid I'm just too mortified," the Sheriff chuckled. "Kids these days just don't seem to have any sort of self control."
"Sheriff Forbes, I assure you this isn't what it looks like," Damon started hastily. "I mean, I'm not exactly sure what's happening here, but Alex must have a story."
"I do," Alex promised shakily. "I really do."
"I'd rather not hear it," Sheriff Forbes smiled humorously. "You two are together. I get it. That's not what I'm here for."
"Really, Sheriff, I'd like to explain," Damon interrupted fervently.
"Just grab your things and meet me in the car," the Sheriff ordered offhandedly, heading towards the entrance hall. "The Founders are going to have an urgent meeting. Your attendance is required."
Damon gave a helpless glance towards Alex, but then walked past Sheriff Forbes and up the stairs. One more witty look from the Sheriff greeted Alex, and then she left. Stefan stared at Alex in confusion while Alex wanted to die of embarrassment.
"Um, I just needed some clothes," she started nervously, looking down at the floor submissively. "I wasn't sure if Elena had lent me another outfit."
"Oh, of course," Stefan said, shaking his head optimistically. "Yes, she did. I'll go up and put the clothes in your room. You can head up there whenever you're ready."
With a dire speed, Stefan left the room. Relief could have filled Alex, but embarrassment was all she felt. She knew this encounter with Sheriff Forbes would not be like the first one. It would be remembered as a horrible, awkward moment in history. Just the thought of the Sheriff's suggestive smirk gave Alex the chills. She noticed Damon stepping down the stairs and rushing out of the house. After a few seconds that confirmed the coast was clear, she ran with super speed up the stairs and into her room, dressing with an undying passion. Such enthusiasm seemed incredibly foolish, but her embarrassment clouded her common sense. Clothes were her best friend now.
"I hope he corrects her in the car," she mumbled furiously, making final changes to her appearance in front of a mirror in her room. "I have a deep desire to murder him."
Stefan chuckled awkwardly after appearing in her doorway. He leaned against the wall and watched her cautiously. "After your breakdown with the rabbit yesterday, I highly doubt that."
"I've never been so humiliated in my life," she sighed desperately. She turned urgently to face Stefan and stomped her foot like a child. "Goodness! Why did she have to come over at just the wrong time? And why wasn't Damon wearing a shirt? This is a mess."
"It's not that big of a deal," Stefan laughed calmly. "The Sheriff doesn't dwell on these types of things."
"You don't understand, Stefan," Alex whined in despair. "Yesterday at the diner, there was another insinuating moment."
"I'm sure Damon told you Sheriff Forbes doesn't gossip," Stefan told reassuringly. "Don't worry about it."
Reluctantly, Alex gave a composed nod and crossed her arms awkwardly. Stefan smiled brightly and led her down the stairs to the living room.
"I have to leave for school now," he explained plainly, taking his backpack from the living room couch. "I'm not sure how long Damon's meeting will be, but you'll be alone for a little bit. You can do whatever you'd like. I left some cash on the mantel in case you want to go into town. Of course, I just ask you to be very careful. You never know what could happen in this place."
"Thank you," Alex called as Stefan wandered out the door. "I'll find something to do."
It was like Alex had no control over her body. Or maybe her mind was just too set on this task that her conscious was overshadowed. She was already moving towards the front door, looking through a nearby window to witness Stefan entering his car. As soon as he drove away, she rushed into the library and searched through a number of books.
Katherine. The tomb. No matter how strongly Damon warned her about Katherine, she just had to talk to her. Last night, she had stumbled upon an old, handwritten diary. Its owner had written countless facts about MysticFalls' vampire history, and the tomb was mentioned somewhere in the book.
Ah, there it was. "Many vampires were trapped in the tomb years ago after the townspeople decided to fight against them. The townspeople were able to guide the vampires into the middle of the forest where the old Lawrence cabin was. Directly below the cabin, the tomb waited, and the vampires were forced to be trapped in the tomb by an age old magic. Of course, somehow they all escaped…"
Alex did not need to know anymore. She ran out of the library and into the living room. Though the cash seemed useless, she stuffed it all into her pocket. A small desire for blood sat just above her stomach, and she wondered if she could wait a while before she drank any. The thought of drinking any more of the stuff made her sick. She calmly remembered she would be in the middle of a forest, and decided she could wait till the evening.
Holding nothing but some cash and a picture of Elizabeth, Alex left the mansion. She was cautious as she walked through the neighborhood. People exited their houses casually, passing by her like she was merely another pedestrian. Angrily, she ignored the smell of their blood and continued on through the quiet street of old-fashioned houses. Walking at a normal pace was making her impatient, but she finally made it past the neighborhoods and shops to a quiet rode that passed beside the forest. Eagerly, she started into the thin sea of trees.
Any sign of movement in the forest scared her, but not because she felt like a sort of prey. She was afraid of being a predator once again, attempting to break the neck of a helpless bunny. As she walked, she was able to focus on the beautiful red, yellow, and orange leaves hanging from the tall, vibrant trees. Her love for nature shone through her shame of her inhumane desire, and her journey became bearable.
It was difficult to tell where she was going. She knew she was looking for a cabin, but she had a horrible realization. The cabin was mentioned as "old" in the diary, so it was definitely much older now. What if it had fallen to bits by now? What if it could not be found, and the tomb was totally hidden in the forest?
She had never been good with directions, and now she felt completely lost herself. Anxiously, she looked back to see that the road behind her was not visible. But she regained hope when she realized there was an obviously brighter light in that direction. Her eyes were then focused on finding some evidence of a tomb. It had to be close.
When she tripped over a large, stone block, she abruptly realized it was closer than she thought. She moaned and mumbled angrily as she lifted herself from the ground, finding that vampire's possessed no invincibility from pain. But her spirits lifted when she noticed just how wonderful this block appeared. It was slightly covered by leaves, but most of the leaves rested around it. She fervently kicked away the leaves in its vicinity and found a heavy trap door which she lifted with ease.
A set of cold, wet stairs led her down into a strange cellar with a large metal door. She curiously opened it and entered a frigid room made of stone. It appeared as a very old cell with strong shackles attached to the ground. The shackles were definitely welded onto the floor many times, and looked just like a half-melted piece of chocolate morphing into the floor.
All about the room, she searched, but she found no sign of Katherine. There was no secret door or even a tomb-like essence about the place. She defiantly realized this was not even the tomb she was searching for. In a great mood of defeat, she leaned against the wall and gave a tired sigh.
"What are you doing here?"
Alex jumped as the deep, livid voice came from the door of the cell. In the dimly lit room, she could barely make out the silhouette of a tall, muscular figure. Fear strangled her, and she could not react to his booming question.
"What are you doing here?" the man repeated angrily, coming closer to Alex. She trembled for a moment, knowing she would not stand a chance against this furious beast of a man. But she faintly tasted his blood on the tip of her tongue as the smell of it was so vivid, remembered what she was, and stalked towards him bravely.
"My name is Alex," she told mightily. "I'm sorry to intrude on your pleasant, little cell here. But I was just looking for a certain place."
The pale light bending behind the figure now showed his face clearly. Though he looked like an extremely dangerous and ferocious individual, he was clearly only a teenager. His soft brown eyes stared at her with a wild curiosity, and for a moment she diagnosed him with a case of ADD.
"You're staying at the Salvatore mansion," he stated suddenly, his tone more inviting. "Stefan told me about you."
"Do you go to the same school as Stefan?" Alex asked gently. Suddenly, her eyes opened widely and she stared at him in distress. "School isn't out yet, is it?"
"Nah," he answered lazily. "I just ditch sometimes."
"That's comforting to know," Alex sighed, looking about the room awkwardly. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know where a certain tomb is, would you? It's supposed to be in this forest."
"Sure," he said. "It's supposed to be a magic tomb…I mean, if magic was real."
His voice was more than just slightly mysterious. Her guard flew up. "Who are you?"
"Tyler Lockwood," he replied coolly.
A werewolf? He was just a child. Damon must have been lying when he told Alex Tyler was a werewolf. But she couldn't doubt anything anyone said. Now she was in the middle of a game of secrets, and she had to play very carefully. Her and Tyler were keeping secrets from each other, but she had the upper hand.
"Would you be able to take me to this tomb?" she requested gently. "I'm visiting to investigate these old town legends."
"Sure," he answered plainly. "Follow me."
They exited the cell and started walking deeper into the forest. Though Alex was wary of leaving the guiding light of the edge of the forest, she became intrigued by the conversation Tyler started. He spoke of the tomb lightly, following the story that was in the diary. But he held a constant grin on his face, and he burst in to laughter at every few words. This teenager was supposedly a werewolf, yet he really did not know vampires existed. Alex started to worry of his safety in this vampire-infested town.
"Vampires and witches, huh?" she interrupted amusedly. "Don't tell me there are werewolves too." She knew she would quiet him, or perhaps shock him, but she felt a deep desire to learn more of werewolves.
Tyler looked down at the fallen leaves contemplatively. His deep brown eyes grew deeper, and his body stiffened. She wondered if she had gone too far with this simple suggestion. The books she had read last night did not focus much on werewolves, but the little information they held insisted werewolves were incredibly moody. They also had special powers outside of their wolf forms, and this began to frighten her. If this conversation got out of hand, she may have to battle this teenager as if he were a menacing beast. In the end, they both appeared equally awkward, completely lost in thoughts of their own.
"Werewolves," Tyler sighed. To Alex's surprise, his expression softened and his voice shook slightly. "The legend goes…it's not easy for them."
She examined his gentle eyes and discovered this could possibly be a therapeutic exchange. Tyler's whole body demonstrated a need to vent, and secrets could remain secrets, as long as she remained calm.
"How is it hard for them? I mean, what does the legend say?"
"The legend tells that the werewolf gene is passed on in certain families," Tyler explained tiredly. "But even if you have the gene, you're not going to change. Not unless you murder someone."
Alex's heart skipped a beat. She wanted to gasp, she wanted to scream, she wanted to run. If Tyler was already a werewolf, then he was already a murderer. She tried to think of an excuse for the kid. It wouldn't settle in her heart that he had killed someone.
"They have to murder someone?" Alex asked anxiously. "They actually kill someone?"
"Their strength and anger can get the best of them," Tyler continued with a miserable tone. "Maybe they don't mean to do it. I mean, the legend can mislead people."
"I certainly hope so," Alex whispered, a deep concern forming within her. Now she could feel her compassion reentering her view of Tyler, and she gave him a small smile. "Everyone is a person. It doesn't matter if they're a vampire or a werewolf."
An unconvincing grin came upon his face. "I guess."
Lazily, they strolled through the forest, existing in each other's ambiance of gloom. Alex wanted to comfort Tyler in any way possible, but her words would mean too much to her. She needed someone to reassure her humanity as well. To reassure herself would only increase her sense of loneliness.
"How are Stefan and Damon treating you?" Tyler questioned suddenly.
His question was truly an answer for Alex. As soon as she heard the names of her fellow vampires, her spirits lifted, and she realized she wasn't meant to stay alone for long. All the books she had read insisted vampires were solitary creatures, but she wasn't the same way. She needed to see another vampire soon. Katherine, though described as a menacing monster, was a form of support, and Alex had to get to her as soon as possible.
Alex was keen in dodging unnecessary conversations for the next few minutes. Quick, innocent interruptions made up most of her replies to Tyler's questions about herself. She even made playful skips ahead of Tyler to make him go faster. Unfortunately, this spontaneous behavior seemed to make the guy form a lively crush on her.
Through the awkward flirtation and conversation, they reached a leaf-covered set of stairs that lead down into a small cave. Alex's heart leapt with joy as she saw her exit, as well as an entrance to perhaps a new understanding of her situation. Before she could say goodbye, Tyler turned to her suddenly and gave a charming grin.
"Hey, what are you doing Saturday night?" he asked confidently, tilting his head slightly to the side.
"Ah, Saturday night?" she replied shakily. "I'm sorry. I'll have to be back home with my daughter by then."
Though she expected his initial reaction to show disappointment, it instead showed incredible shock, and a little horror. Obviously, this kid had no intentions of making a long-term commitment with her, and he definitely did not want to take care of a child. She smiled mischievously at his sudden loss of adoration for her.
"Oh, well, sorry," he mumbled rapidly. "I had no idea. Well, we're here. I guess I'll leave you to it. Bye, Alex."
She gave a small wave and then headed down the stairs into the dark, mysterious cave. A wonderful sense of victory clouded her mind for a moment, but she was suddenly struck by a feeling of perseverance. Upon the walls of the cave, mysterious symbols and words were carved, and the shadowy atmosphere gave a sense of adventure. She knew it was common in movies for a journey to end in a cave. The answers to ancient questions and magical artifacts all rested in caves. But she remembered this was no ordinary cave. This was a tomb: a tomb made for vampires. The horrible realization that she was considered undead overtook her, and she almost left the cave. But something caught her eye.
A huge, dark boulder leaned against one side of the tomb. It had many markings and words carves into them. She took a closer look and noticed these markings were not carved, but burned into the stone. It was an unimaginable concept, but she was not focused on that aspect.
Anxiously, she pulled back the neckline of her shirt to reveal her marked shoulder. It was difficult to see the markings on herself clearly without a mirror, but she was sure they matched some on the boulder. Each strange symbol was perfectly aligned. This tomb surely meant something. Katherine had to know.
With her patience to meet this estranged vampire now wearing quite thin, she took hold of the boulder, assuming it was the door of the tomb, and lifted it slowly. Her now superhuman strength surprised her, and she continued to lift the boulder completely from the wall and ground. With little effort, she carried it to the side of the now apparent doorway and gasped in horror. She nearly dropped the boulder as she saw the terrifying sight before her.
Katherine, or so it seemed to be, was sitting at the very edge of the doorway, leaning against the wall with a deadly look upon her face. Her eyes were dark and lifeless, and her whole body seemed to be in a state of mummification. Alex was quite stunned when she assumed Katherine was unable to be communicated with. But her real surprise came when she found her whole body shaking from the shock. Perhaps it was how much Katherine resembled Elena, a very kindhearted, compassionate person, but Alex couldn't figure out exactly why she was in such distress. She wandered towards the doorway slowly with one arm out cautiously.
"Do you want to end up like me?" Katherine's lifeless face suddenly moved, and Alex jumped back in alarm. The cold, dead lips moved with a lack of effort, and her voice was just a long, boring sigh. "You'll be trapped in here if you step any closer."
"Katherine?" Alex whispered uneasily as she slowly stepped back. "Katherine, is that you?"
"Do I know you?" Katherine asked weakly, her feeble, sluggish body rising to an upright position. The beautiful, zombie-like girl now sat up like a high school student attempting to stay awake for a history lecture.
"No," Alex answered shakily. "You don't know me. My name is Alex. But…did Damon and Stefan really just lock you up in here like this?"
"I guess I deserved it," Katherine muttered lazily. "All they want to do is protect their precious Elena. They just don't understand how useful she is."
"They left you here to die?" Alex questioned in astonishment.
"A vampire never really dies," Katherine explained leisurely. "We just sort of mummify. You can always awaken a vampire. Are you a friend of Stefan and Damon?"
"I suppose so," Alex told hesitantly, her confidence in them wearing thin. "I was kidnapped and turned into a vampire. Somehow, I ended up in MysticFalls, and Stefan found me."
"Oh, Stefan," Katherine sighed in a bittersweet tone. "I always loved him for his compassion. Unfortunately, it becomes his weakness at times."
"I…I'm sorry he did this to you," Alex said regretfully, attempting to keep her body steady.
"I've never seen someone so distraught over me," Katherine chuckled bleakly. "Perhaps Damon. He was always a little wishy-washy. Anyways, why are you here, Alex?"
In a moment of doubt and silence, Alex contemplated if her problems were truly important. Katherine was locked in a magical tomb forever, doomed to a long, terrible mummification, while Alex lived a rather luxurious life, as far as luxury went in the vampire world. She reached into her pocket, took out her picture of Elizabeth, looked at her baby with pure adoration, and resumed her task.
"I need your help," Alex said with a frail sternness. "While I was kidnapped, before I turned into a vampire, someone cast a spell on me."
Katherine seemed certainly interested, but her eyes still showed a great deal of uncontrollable paleness. The decaying vampire gave a stiff nod and Alex resumed.
"The spell burned markings onto my shoulder," Alex continued. "Damon, Stefan, and I talked to Bonnie, the witch in town." Katherine rolled her eyes at the name. "She looked at the markings and said they were for a very specific spell. It was a spell that could turn a vampire into a human again."
At this part of the story, Alex expected for Katherine to show some sign of interest like the other vampires in on the secret. But there was hardly a sign of interest on Katherine's face. Alex could not assume this was just her weak body's doing, but she continued on.
"I was hoping you knew more about it," Alex explained, Katherine's dull expression starting to intimidate her.
Katherine sat up a little straighter and looked at Alex coolly. "Show me the burns."
Eagerly, Alex pulled back the neckline of her shirt and bent down for Katherine to get a better look. For a moment, Katherine's eyes lit up, and she looked at the markings in wonder. Then, all of the sudden, she let out a small laugh and resumed her slouched position.
"I can't believe they actually did it," she chuckled.
"Did what?" Alex asked anxiously.
"It's called the Heart of Restoration Spell," Katherine explained amusedly. "The witch was right. It is a spell to turn a vampire back into a human, or multiple vampires if they drink the blood of the sacrifice just before the ritual. Only a very powerful witch can complete the spell. If their magic is not strong enough, they will just die right there on the spot."
Alex had many new fears and realizations, but no questions came to mind. After a few seconds of silence, Katherine ignored Alex's wide eyes and continued on with her story.
"In Bulgaria, no one taught me much of it," Katherine told. "Every single Original was searching for the right wizard to cast the spell. I guess they didn't want too many people to learn all the details of it, so that people wouldn't join in on their parade. But I learned on my own."
"If this vampire and wizard team wants to sacrifice me," Alex started frantically, "why didn't they just sacrifice me when they had me?"
"They need something else for the sacrifice to take place," Katherine insisted casually. "It's something called the Blood Stone. The legend goes this stone holds all the souls of every vampire to ever exist. I think it's complete crap, but I guess it's magic somehow. It must be part of the ritual."
"Do you know where the Blood Stone is?" Alex questioned eagerly.
"I'm afraid not," Katherine stated, her voice unapologetic. "But I know, since you carry the spell, you should be naturally drawn to it. You should be able to sense when you're near it. And the stone apparently does something funny when it senses you. When you both meet, the witch who cast the spell will feel your meeting, and he or she will come to claim the both of you."
As far as Alex was concerned, the stone only played another part in her impending fate. She wasn't much interested in the sacrifice she already knew about. Old questions were rising in her mind.
"Can I benefit from this spell?" Alex asked. "Can I turn back into a human?"
"I don't see how that's possible," Katherine admitted. "Your blood is useful to those who participate in the ritual, but you'll only die."
Alex found herself completely ready to believe Katherine, and that was extremely painful. A diligent spirit of perseverance entered her heart, and she stomped her foot upon the ground furiously. "There's got to be a way," she whispered angrily. "There just has to!"
"Alex," Katherine called quietly. "Why are you so eager to become a human again."
Her daughter's laugh could be heard in her ears, and she could see her face so clearly in her mind. The wonderful, tender memories of Elizabeth clouded her mind, and she fell to the ground in tears.
"My daughter," she told erratically. "My daughter is at home in Brooklyn, barely two years old, and I'm in Virginia, drinking human blood to survive. How could these people do this to me? Did they even know how they would ruin our lives?"
This passionate speech seemed to move Katherine's fragile body. The otherwise careless vampire gave a quick, sympathetic glance towards Alex before awkwardly pointing her gaze at the floor. Alex suddenly remembered the story of Katherine that Damon told, and a gentle compassion pushed some of the sadness from her heart.
"Katherine, you had a child, right?" Alex cautiously asked Katherine like a woman precariously requesting something from a shy child.
"You've seen Elena, haven't you?" Katherine started bitterly. "It's obvious…"
"Were you turned into a vampire against your will?" Alex continued curiously. "Did you have to leave your child."
Katherine looked up with a cold, furious look. An anticipation of terrible retaliation took over Alex, and she regretted her question at once. But Katherine's eyes softened, and she stared down at the ground again with a sad, desperate look.
"My baby was taken away from me when I was sixteen," Katherine replied coldly. "Of course, it was a terrible sin to have a baby out of wedlock in the fifteenth century. My father would not endure the shame and humiliation that the baby would bring, so he sent her off as soon as she was born. I could not even hold her for long."
Though they were said to be two very different people, Alex felt incredibly close to Katherine. She looked upon the girl with compassion and never anger, unlike the way Damon described her with such hatred. A few minutes of silence blew between them, but then Katherine was continuing with a great deal of sentiment.
"In the end, I became a vampire by my own will," Katherine sobbed quietly. "But it doesn't mean I don't feel the same way you do now." Her desperate brown eyes caught Alex up into a state of deep sorrow. "I mean, I lost my baby. I miss her even now."
"I believe you," Alex promised devotedly, understanding Damon or Stefan never gave such a thought as this to Katherine's past. "I definitely believe you."
"I just didn't want to be the next Petrova doppelganger that they tried to sacrifice," Katherine sighed, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes. "I was selfish. But I see that you only want to be with your daughter. You're better than I ever was."
"I don't think so," Alex assured. But she could not think of anything more to say. The thought of Elizabeth was weighing down on her with such pressure she could not think. In silence, they both sat there, each on a different side of a magic wall. They were separated, yet they met in a way only mothers could meet. Eventually, Alex gathered her thoughts and grinned slightly.
"Katherine, I'd like to visit you again," Alex suggested gently. "If you'll talk with me tomorrow, I'll bring some blood for you."
The word was obviously extremely tempting for the deprived vampire, who leapt up from the floor with a sudden vigor. Katherine stared at Alex eagerly and nodded.
"Oh, please, I would love that," Katherine insisted strongly. "I mean, both the talk and the blood."
"But mostly the blood," Alex smirked, rising from the floor slowly. "I can't stand to see you just wither away in this tomb. I'll come back tomorrow. Thank you, Katherine."
"Goodbye, Alex," Katherine called, her voice much more friendly now.
In much distress, Alex left the tomb. She walked through the forest, almost immediately finding a road to take her back to the mansion. All throughout her walk, she could think of nothing but Elizabeth. Her daughter seemed almost intangible now. She felt like the little girl was in a whole different dimension, and she could not be visited any longer. This was hardly reality on a physical sense, but immense frustration on a spiritual sense.
After a long, passionate conversation with herself, Alex accepted her fate. She accepted it with a despicable grudge and a release of many tears, but she knew she could not change this. She would either live as a vampire forever, or die as a mere pawn in some vampire's master plan. Or perhaps this particular vampire had a family of his own he wanted to get back to. Maybe he had the same intentions Alex did.
All of this confused her incredibly, and she decided to focus on the Blood Stone. It was in MysticFalls apparently, and she was meant to find it. A museum may contain it, if it really is a valuable artifact. Again, her brain was overworked by all the possibilities of its location, and she threw all her thoughts away.
Upon arriving at the mansion, she realized it was well past three 'o' clock, and Damon and Stefan were already at home. They looked at her with concern as soon as she walked through the door. Many questions were asked, but she answered them all by simply telling them both that she had gone to Brooklyn to check on Elizabeth. She then rushed upstairs, feeling her own liar's imagination was really her deepest desire.
Lying in her bed mournfully, she began to cry as she thought of Elizabeth. She may never hold her own daughter again, and this thought filled her with absolute horror. Nothing could comfort her. She only looked forward to reuniting with Katherine tomorrow to continue their empathetic conversation. No one knew her pain quite like Katherine.