Chapter 16

There was no reply when I knocked on the door. Either Jeremy is hiding, or out. Or Bonnie's with him and they're waiting to ambush me.

"Oi! Bonnie and Clyde, let me in!" Again I was met with silence. I sighed.

I was looking forward to forcing an invitation out of Jeremy. This whole 'safe house' thing is getting old.

I thought you'd accepted that it's for the best. You might hurt Jeremy or Bonnie.

That's what I came for. Those two could do with a lesson.

I turned and headed towards Bonnie's house.

Now where are we going?

The other possible hideout.

Can't you just leave them alone?

I feel the need to socialise. Tell me, how hard do you think it'd be to turn Caroline's humanity off?

Very. She's got more control than you and Damon put together. Give up now.

I thought you loved Stefan. This is supposed to help you.

No it isn't.

Fine, you caught me. It'll also be enormous fun to see the best of us fall to my level. A Shakespearian tragedy just for me.

So you want Caroline to switch it off too? Who's next, Damon? Stefan? Everyone?

No. It's the whining goody-two-shoes like you and Stefan who make it seem truly tragic by comparison. Besides, Stefan won't fall for you if he can't feel anything.

I still don't understand this obsession with seeing Stefan fall in love with me. I'm already dead. What's the point of this.

Do you know what I wanted to be when I grew up?

Human?

Very funny. I wanted to be a writer. Didn't really happen. Got distracted. But now I have the chance to do something even better.

Why don't you just write? You certainly have the time. Although emotions might help bring the work to life.

Give it up already. You're not going to convince me to switch it on.

Whatever. What do you have the chance to do now?
I don't need to write stories, I can bring them to life! I can make them happen. Think of how much fun that would be.

You're out of your mind. These are peoples' lives you're manipulating.

Think of it; The Tragedy of Caroline. The Ballad of Katherine and Stefan.

Anyone else's life you want to mess about with?

Of course. I was toying with the idea of a spectacular end to the wicked lives of Bonnie and Clyde.

Kill Jeremy and Bonnie? Are you insane? He's your brother! She's your best friend!

Why are you so sympathetic towards them? Jeremy isn't even related to you. Bonnie's tried to kill you multiple times in the past.

It's unnecessary. It's mindless killing for no reason.

Don't act like a saint. You've spent five hundred years killing you ever turn your emotions on when you were a vampire?

Occasionally. It doesn't make killing innocent people right.

Tell me about this 'right.' What is it? Who decided where this line in the sand is drawn?

Turn on your humanity and you'll know exactly what I mean.

Nope. Are you really so desperate to not feel anymore?

What do you mean?

If I let my emotions in, you'll lose yours. I thought you loved Stefan.

I...

Behold! Doubt.

I want you to turn it on so that I'm not stuck in the head of a psychopath anymore.

If you lose your humanity again, you'll be the psychopath trapped in a mild mannered weakling. Which is worse?

I'm...not sure.

Then stop trying to make me turn it on. You seem to like emotions so much, you can keep them.

And then what? The instant you feel like spiting me you'll just flip the switch and force me to turn mine off?

Trust me, Katherine. There's no way I'm reattaching strings to myself. I'm having way too much fun for that.

I knocked softly on Bonnie's door and said sweetly, "Bonnie? It's me, Elena. Is Jeremy here?" For several seconds there was no reply, but eventually I heard Bonnie's voice from the other side of the closed door.

"Yes, but you're not seeing him. I heard about what happened, Elena. You should go."

So rude.

"Let's be civil, shall we, Bonnie? At least speak to me face to face."

"I'd rather not." I took hold of the doorknob, pulling the entire door right off it's hinges with a wooden crunch and the screech of twisting metal. Inside, Bonnie was staring at me with a mixture of shock and horror.

"We're all friends here, Bonnie Bennett." I said, smiling. "Call my brother, won't you?"

"Bonnie? What the hell happened?" Jeremy said, walking into the entrance hall to investigate the sudden commotion. He froze at the sight of me.

"Jeremy!" I said. "I've missed you!"

"We...we know what happened Elena. Caroline already called. You've flipped the switch."

"Yeah, that's why I'm here. I decided I'm tired of being locked outside my own house. You're going to invite me in."

"No." He said simply.

"Don't be the hero, Jer. That house is legally mine. I'm your sister, for heaven's sake."

"I didn't invite you in when you had your humanity, there's no way I'm doing it now that you're a psychopathic killer."

"If I can't get in, I'll burn it to the damn ground." I hissed dangerously at him. He flinched at my sudden change in tone.

"You'd burn everything you own? Aren't you starting to run out of clothes?"

"They're easy to buy."

"What about your precious diaries?"

"I bet the fire will be spectacular. Especially if you're sound asleep inside at the time." I grinned, making sure he saw my teeth.

"You're beyond hope, Elena." Bonnie said sadly.

"Don't give me your pity, Bonnie. If anyone needs it, it's you. Your mother's a vampire just like me. It's only a matter of time before she switches off her emotions too."

"Don't talk about her to me."

"And what about your Grams? Didn't she die to help protect me from vampires? Oh well, looks like her death was for nothing."

"I'm warning you, Elena. Shut up."

"You're not the angel of judgement, Bonnie. You don't get to decide what's right and wrong. Your father hates you, you've abandoned Jamie to be with my little brother. Look at you. You have nothing."

"Elena..."

"It's probably all your fault I switched off my humanity." Bonnie snapped. Before I knew what was happening she'd lashed out and struck me back with mythical force. I flew through the air, but the worst sensation was in my head. It felt like it was about to explode. My eyes were burning. I felt faint. The air rushed out of my lungs as I struck the ground, and the world went dark.

It felt like Katherine was being sucked into a whirlpool. The sensation was odd. She couldn't put her finger on it. The world had faded when Elena's eyes closed, but Katherine could still feel her presence. She wasn't unconscious. In fact she seemed close. Very close. In the whirlpool along with her.

What the hell is happening? She heard Elena's thought clearly.

I don't know.

Bonnie did something! I'm going to tear that bitch limb from limb.

All of a sudden Katherine sensed some kind of light in the distance. It wasn't tangible, but she felt it coming closer. Elena didn't seem to notice anything, continuing to mentally swear at Bonnie and Jeremy. The light came closer, until Katherine felt herself engulfed. It almost blinded her as she opened her eyes.

"Wha- What happened?" She moaned groggily, lying dazed on the ground in front of Bonnie's house. Her vision was blurred, but she managed to sit up and feel the soft grass beneath her. It was heavenly. It felt real. In Elena's head, her senses had been dulled, like in a dream, but now she's woken up. Which could mean only one thing. Katherine leapt to her feat, looking around in a frenzy. It wasn't possible. She...she was here! She was in Elena's body. She was in control.

I can't believe it! I'm here! I'm alive!

What happened? Where am I?

You're trapped, like I was.

What? Impossible. You can't take control of me!

Apparently Bonnie changed that.

I'm am going to rip her head off if it's the last thing I do...

"Elena? Are you okay? I don't know what happened." Bonnie said, still standing in the doorway.

"It...it's me. Katherine." She said. "I don't know what you did, but it's let me out."

"You already played that trick." Jeremy snarled.

"I'm telling the truth. I don't know what you did, but Elena's now the one stuck in the back seat."

"If you're Katherine, why aren't you trying to eat us? Why are you even talking to us?" Bonnie asked.

"My humanity was switched on when Elena flipped hers off."

"But you're in control now. How do we know you won't switch it off again?" She had a point. Katherine tried to sense the switch which would numb her emotions, but the sensation was the same as before. Hers was locked in the "on" position.

"I...I can't. Elena's still in control of that."

"So you're a...nicer version of Katherine?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I never thought I'd say this," Bonnie said. "but this might be an improvement based on how Elena was acting. What will you do now?"

"I...I need to find Stefan."