Chapter 20

"I must say, as always your timing is impeccable, Damon." Klaus said, leaning calmly against the rough stone wall.

"Cut the crap, Klaus. Why aren't you dead?"

"Damon, if I were dead, you'd be dead too. Have you forgotten the rules? Or did you just assume I lied when I told you I turned Rose, thereby starting your bloodline?"

"I man can hope, can't he, Klaus?"

"Yes, I suppose he can." The Original laughed. "But that's neither here nor there. Did Caroline tell you I was here?"

"Barbie was in on this?"

"I'll take that as no. How did you find me here, Damon?"

"I'm looking for Elena. My idiot brother and your blonde accomplice have kidnapped her."

"Kidnapped? Is the good old gang breaking up?"

"Elena's turned her emotions off. They're trying to make her turn them back on."

"Well well. That is fascinating. And I suppose you're trying to save her, because you like her better this way?"

"I haven't gotten that far. I just don't like to be left out of the loop."

"It looks like we may have a common goal, Damon. You want to find Elena, and I need to speak to Caroline."

Caroline nearly dropped the bottle of vervain-water she was carrying when she walked into the room. Stefan was kissing Elena.

"Stefan! What the hell are you doing?" She shouted, her voice cracking slightly.

Stefan almost fell backwards, and Elena slumped back against the wall. Part of the rope around her wrists had unraveled.

Is it Elena? Or Katherine? How could he do this? Elena was right!

"Caroline," Stefan hurriedly got to his feet. "It's...it's not Elena."

Elena was right.

"You're kissing Katherine? What are you-" Caroline suddenly stopped when she saw the broken bed and cracked plaster on the walls. "What happened, Stefan?"

"Elena tricked me. I thought she'd turned it back on. She tried to kill me." His eyes fell to the stake on the floor, what remained of the bed's missing leg.

"And so you stopped her, and now you're kissing Katherine? How do you know its even her?"

"She saved me, Caroline. Elena would have succeeded, but Katherine intervened. She gave me time to retie the rope."

"Stefan, are you a complete moron?" Caroline hissed, and Stefan's guilty expression grew more pronounced. "This is exactly what Elena wanted. She warned me about this!"

"What are you talking about, Caroline?"

"She wants control Stefan, and she was perfectly willing to let Katherine fall in love with you to get it!"

"She's tied up, Caroline!" Stefan said, more loudly now. "How can she be in control if she's the one tied up?"

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here, Stefan." Katherine suddenly broke in. No, not Katherine. Elena.

"E-Elena?" Stefan spluttered, caught entirely off guard.

"I warned you Caroline, didn't I? It looks like I win again." With an easy flick of her wrists, the rope tying her hands fell off, and Elena vanished out the door.

''''''''

For the umpteenth time since the death of both her son, Carol Lockwood considered moving into a smaller house.

This one is too empty of life and full of memories.

She sighed. As much as she might want to, she knew she wouldn't be going anywhere. The mansion was a symbol as much as a building; a symbol of the Lockwood family's power and legacy. To sell it would be sacrilege.

It doesn't mean I have to like it.

She shivered again as she walked down the stairs to lock the doors. The halls, bright as white gold in the day, were now dark and gloomy. The contrast was an unpleasant one.

"Mrs Lockwood." came a voice behind her. She turned around, and strangely felt no shock in seeing Elena. The girl's clothes were disheveled, but her face was utterly composed. An aura of calm radiated outwards from her.

"Elena. Caroline and Stefan let you go?" Carol asked.

"No." Elena replied, and began to meander towards her, obviously not intending to elaborate on her answer.

"Oh."

"I'll admit, I didn't recognise where I was until I left that little room. You approved of them keeping me prisoner in your home?"

"It isn't much of a home anymore. It may as well serve a purpose."

"Practical as ever."

"No, not really."

"Hmm?"

"Do you have your emotions back yet?"

"No."

"Then you wouldn't understand." Carol said sadly, and looked down.

"Don't patronise me. Your husband is dead. Your son is dead. You're alone. If you were a vampire, you'd have turned off the pain long ago."

"Yes."

"Do you wish you could?"

"Yes."

"I could turn you, you know. I can give you what you want."

"I know."

"Do you want me to?"

"No."

"Oh?"

"Your way is too easy."

"That's not an answer."

"I don't want this pain, but I have to feel it."

"Have to?"

"Healing takes time. Instant fixes are only ever temporary."

"Do you feel some duty to your dead family? Do you think they're watching you and wanting you to suffer?"

"Perhaps, but only because they know I am right."

"You're very confident about that. What would you do, Mrs Lockwood, if I turned you right now? Is your will strong enough to follow your own advice?"

"I doubt it."

"You're a hypocrite." Elena said, and laughed a cold, humourless laugh. "And you are a liar. What good are your feelings if all you can do is lie to yourself about them?"

"Everything is a lie, Elena." Carol said forcefully, but Elena's smirk only widened. "Hope is a lie we tell ourselves until we begin to believe it ourselves. And when that happens, everything becomes better, and that initial hope is fulfilled. That is what emotion is."

"I should turn you, Carol." Elena said, almost spitting her first name. "Its easy to preach for something when you have no choice. We'll see what you say when all of your pain is magnified tenfold."

"Do it then."

"Is that a challenge?" Elena's voice dropped dangerously low, and she narrowed her eyes at the older woman.

"Its whatever you want it to be, Elena." She held the stare without flinching. For an agonising moment, Elena didn't move, but it ended abruptly when she grinned and tilted her head.

"I want to, trust me. But you see, I've been sitting in a cramped little room with no blood for days. And as much fun as turning you would undoubtably be, I'm very thirsty. Nothing personal, Mrs Lockwood."

Elena was at Carol's throat the next instant. There was no pain, just a feeling of cold sweeping through her.

Thank God.

Caroline was shaking with unbridled rage as she left the room, slamming the door so hard in Stefan's face that the wood splintered.

He's a fool! He's as absolute ass! How can he be so blind?

She placed a hand on her forehead and began to pace, biting her lip until she tasted blood.

Elena has manipulated him at every turn, and all he can think about when she gets away is bloody Katherine!

She stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned against the the wall.

She was right. Elena told me about this. Was she right about me too? Am I jealous of Katherine?

Letting her feet slide out from under her, Caroline slip slowly to the floor, and her anger was replaced by guilt, shame and above all, sadness. Everything was her fault; if she had been there for Elena, she might never have flipped the switch. All of the pain could have been avoided. The pain which only Elena was immune to.

Caroline's fists clenched again and she stood. This was Elena's fault as well. Her lies seemed to know no bounds. She was out of control. Was she beyond control? Was she beyond hope? The shaking returned. Caroline gritted her teeth. If Elena didn't prove she had some good left in her, maybe the only solution would be-

What's that smell?

She sniffed the air. It was clearer now. And unmistakable.

Blood.

The air was sweet, but not so sweet as freedom. I took great gulps of both as I strode through the Lockwood gardens in the dawn twilight. Carol Lockwood had been exactly what I needed; the feeling of renewed strength was intoxicating.

You can't keep the silent treatment up forever, Katherine.

I hate you.

I know. Your emotions will consume you.

Don't talk to me about emotions, Elena.

I forgot to thank you.

For what?

You played your part with Stefan perfectly.

It wasn't a part. It was my choice.

Don't be a fool. I tugged on your strings, and as expected, you danced.

Go to hell.

"Is that Elena? Or Katerina? Or are you the same person now?" came a voice as two men appeared in the path in front of me.

"Klaus." I said calmly, and looked at the second. "Damon. What a surprise."

"You don't sound too surprised, Elena." Damon said. He smirked, but there was an air of tension about him.

"Do you want me to break down in tears, Damon? Fly into a terrible rage? Because I'd be happy to oblige."

"No, none of that." Klaus interjected. "Damon's been telling me about your little emotionless tantrum. Fascinating, if you ask me."

"It is, isn't it?" I replied. "Katherine didn't seem to agree though. Like most people in this town, she's very boring. A real stick in the mud."

"Oh really? I remember Katerina as being especially...spirited."

"No. She's most boring when she's in love."

"Love? Katerina?"

"With dear Stefan."

"Now that is very interesting. I would like-"

"Why aren't you dead, Klaus?" I interrupted. He eyed me sharply at having cut him off, but remained cool.

"I used Tyler. He's been most accommodating."

"Have you killed him yet?"

"No."

"No?"

"Surprised, Elena? Or is that disappointment? What have you done that Tyler wouldn't approve of?"

"Oh nothing too serious. I'm sure he'll-"

"Elena!" Caroline shouted, running out of the mansion behind them, stammering with rage. "What...have...you done?" I rolled my eyes in response, and stepped aside to reveal Klaus and Damon. Caroline skidded to a halt and eyed us suspiciously.

"Caroline." Klaus said simply. She ignored him, turning to me again.

"You killed her! How could you do it? She was innocent, she didn't do anything to-"

"Oh get over yourself, Care." I cut her short. "Old women die every day."

"This is too far, Elena." Caroline clenched her fists and fixed with a cold stare. I wasn't sure, but it looked almost like...hate?

"This is too far? What are you going to do, Care? Why don't you show us what happens when Caroline Forbes is pushed too far?"

"Quiet." Klaus said sharply. I smirked back.

"Protective? I like it, Klaus. But you're too late. While you were away, Care and Stefan have been getting extra close." For the briefest moment, shock registered on Klaus' face. I looked back at Caroline. Embarrassment and shame.

"Shut up." She said.

"Why are you ashamed, Care? Have you forgotten about poor trapped Tyler? Klaus did that to him."

"Quiet." Klaus said again. Damon shifted his weight slightly next to him, but remained silent, watching me. I winked.

"Are you feeling the pain, Care? Do you feel it eating you?"

"Shut up."

"Think about Tyler, and how you've betrayed him. And now because you and Stefan let me loose, his mother is now dead." I spotted a tear crawl down her cheek, and took a few steps towards her. "Emotions are like strings, Care." I laid a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "People tug and they make you dance. But when it becomes too much, each string will pull in a different direction, and it will tear you apart."

"Don't talk to me, Elena." She replied, trying to blink away the tears.

"Do you remember when we were best friends?" I continued. "Back when life was simple?"

"Y-yes."

"Do you miss it?"

"Yes."

"Why can't we be friends anymore, Care?"

"Because you-"

"No. Because you won't accept me. You sneer at me and try to change me. Did I do that to you when you turned? Don't you remember how I stood by you?" Caroline didn't reply. "Accept me, Care. We'll be friends again, and all of this pain will go away."

"STOP!" Klaus roared, and grabbed me by the shoulder. Air rushed past my ears, and I felt myself flying through the air. An instant later Damon had wrapped an arm around Klaus' throat, trapping him.

"No! Stop it! Stop it!" Caroline cried, gripping her head with white knuckles. I leapt to my feet and rushed at Klaus, who was still trying to free himself from Damon.

"Nothing personal, Klaus, but this might hurt." I raked my fingers down the side of his face, drawing four neat bleeding cuts. Klaus roared again, and spun rapidly, throwing Damon to the ground. He reached for me, but I stepped back out of range.

"Stop stop stop! STOP!" Caroline fell to her knees, putting her head in her hands. Klaus paused to look at her. His eyes softened for a moment. Just long enough for me to land a sharp kick at his knee. The joint snapped backwards, and Klaus collapsed, teeth gritted and hissing in pain.

"Care." I knelt down next to her and rested my hand on her quivering arm. "You don't have to feel this. Turn it off Care, turn the pain off."