Chapter 23

"Did it work?" Damon asked Bonnie, frowning slightly.

"Yes, they'll wake up soon."

"No, I meant Elena. Will she feel anything?"

"I don't know."

Damon sighed. Witches. They could tear apart the very fabric of life and death but they couldn't answer a simple question. He leant idly against one of the twisted trees and waited. Klaus was staring, arms folded and looking impatient.

"There's no rush, Klaus." Damon said airily, knowing it would irritate the Original. "Caroline will still be just as broken when you get back."

"Save it, Damon." He replied. "I'm only doing this Bonnie's way because Elena's being a pest and I need her to stop meddling with Caroline."

"Why don't you just compel her?"

"That never ends well. Flipping the switch is just a symptom. The pain is the real problem…she has to deal with it herself. Both of them do."

Damon glanced down at Elena. And if they refuse? He smiled. Don't they always?

"Or we could lock them both up and starve it out. That's what Lexi always did and it seemed to work a charm."

"No." Klaus said simply, leaving no room for argument. Damon shrugged.

"What're we going to do about the third one?"

"Tatia is not my concern."

"Elena mentioned she might be a bit unstable."

"She's not my concern, Damon." He repeated. The conversation was cut short when the three figures sprawled on the forest floor began to squirm. This is it. Has it worked? Katherine sat up, looking around in confusion. Her eyes widened when they met Klaus' and she leapt to her feet in an instant.

"I hear you're behind all this trouble, Katerina." He gave her a predatory scowl. "It's been incredibly bothersome."

"I've done nothing, Klaus."

"On the contrary, dear, you've been a thorn in my side for five-hundred years. Even in death you managed to annoy me. Driving Elena off the edge and forcing me to intervene when Caroline got involved.

"I didn't drive Elena off anything. She's responsible, not me."

"Classic Katherine." Damon applauded. "'Better her than me.'"

"Oh spare me, Damon." She sneered. "How does it feel to love someone even worse than me?"

"Elena's not worse than you. At least she feels something when she has her humanity."

"That's enough." Klaus interjected. "Luckily for you, Katerina, I am otherwise occupied at the moment. Besides, I've come to enjoy our little game of cat and mouse. It would be a shame to end it after all these years."

"I…wait, what?" Katherine stammered. "I'm free?"

"Free? No, you misunderstand." Klaus laughed coldly. "I will kill you, and I will drag it out over a thousand years, but right now I don't have that long to spare."

Katherine's face lit up. She actually looked…pleased. Only Katherine could find joy in a death threat like that. Her smile vanished though as another doppelgänger stirred. Damon judged by the thick woven dress and old fashioned pendant that it must Tatia. She gasped when she saw the small circle of onlookers and began to scramble backwards.

"Wait, Tatia." Klaus said sternly, and the girl froze, her eyes fixed on the Original. When she spoke, her voice was soft and uncertain.

"Niklaus?"

"It's been a while." Her expression was deadly serious.

"You are cruel."

"What?"

"You chased us for most of my second life. With her." Tatia seemed to spit the word, casting a murderous glare in Katherine's direction, who returned it was just as much intensity.

"I'm sorry, sweet-" Klaus attempted.

"No, don't." Tatia raised her palms and got to her feet. "No charms. No smooth words from you. You and your family killed me, Niklaus. You killed me for what you are now."

"It wasn't me."

"You are Mikael's son." Klaus tensed.

"What did you say?"

"You are just as he was." Tatia said, her voice rising in anger. Klaus appeared to be visibly shaking.

"Take it back!" He roared, stepping towards her menacingly. Tatia did not flinch.

"His temper, his cruelty, his inability to forgive. You are every inch the father you hated. The father you hid from when you snuck out to see me beneath the white oak."

"I…am not…Mikael!" Klaus thundered in rage, taking another step towards Tatia. Damon appeared between them, trying to calm him down.

"Don't listen, Klaus. She doesn't know what she's talking about. She's not worth it."

"And your judgment!" Tatia cried hysterically. "Your cold looks when I stole Urma's brooch!" Klaus paused, his anger fading somewhat.

"Urma's brooch? When-"

"You were so high and mighty. You were so much better than me! Of course you never said such a thing, no, you were always too polite. But I could see the disapproval!"

"Tatia, I never-"

"You expected me to choose you, Elijah!" Tatia shouted in a frenzy. "You expected me to do what you thought to be right!"

Klaus began to back away with furrowed brows. Damon glanced at Bonnie. Her eyes were wide with shock. Only Katherine didn't seem surprised or worried. And of course Elena who was… Elena? Where'd she go? The spot where she'd been lying moments ago was vacant.

Damon spun about worriedly. She couldn't have gotten far. Surly she'd be curious to see Tatia like this?

"Tatia, it's me, Niklaus. Elijah isn't here." Klaus said.

"You were just as bad! You complained and felt sorry for yourself because of Mikael! You thought you loved me, but you just wanted a shoulder to cry on! Find another! I didn't want either of you!"

"What? Then who?"

"Klaus, there's a bit of a problem." Damon said uneasily. "Elena's gone." Klaus snapped back to the present and turned on Damon.

"Gone? How the bloody hell-" He paused, and his look of annoyance turned to one of concern. "I have to find Caroline."

"But what-" Before Damon could finish Klaus had vanished, leaving him alone with Katherine, Bonnie and Tatia.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Katherine said, motioning towards Tatia. "Completely insane."

"Well that makes two of you." Damon snarled in irritation and began walking back towards the Boarding House. "Follow me, Tatia. I daresay you'll want a shower."

Stefan was beginning to bore Caroline. He kept talking to her about the things he was worried about, as if she should care as well. He was worried about Mystic Falls now that Carol Lockwood was dead. He was concerned about Bonnie and Jeremy. He didn't trust Klaus, he wanted to trust Damon and he didn't know whether he trusted Katherine. And he was worried that when Elena turned her humanity back on, the pain would overwhelm her. Because to Stefan, it's a question of when, not if.

"Do you think Bonnie's spell worked?" He asked from across the living room.

"I don't know, Stefan. I wasn't there. Wasn't allowed to be there." She said in exasperation.

"Klaus' rule, not mine." He said defensively. "How much do you think Katherine had to do with Elena turning it off? Maybe once she's out of her head she'll want to feel again."

"I doubt it."

"Why?" He asked, and Caroline sighed. He was like a puppy yapping for attention. She felt like snapping his neck.

"Because I don't want to, so why should she?"

"How much did Elena affect your choice to flip the switch? Would you want to feel again if she did?"

"No. Elena helped me when I was broken, but it was my choice in the end."

"It wasn't help, and you weren't broken. I know how it might-"

"Don't go there again, Stefan. You've tried to convince me three times already."

"I'm trying to help. If you don't start trying, Klaus will insist we do it the hard way. You've seen how that goes."

"Why? Why do I get the same treatment as Elena if she's the one killing people and I'm just minding my own business?"

"Minding your own business? You tried to kill that jogger earlier."

"I was hungry. I wasn't going to kill him. Just a little sip."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"Okay, I was going to kill him, but only him. No one else for at least a day. Isn't that fair?"

"That fact that you can even ask me that tells me you need your humanity back."

The sound of a door slamming echoed through the house and Klaus burst into the room. Stefan was instantly alert, but Klaus relaxed when he saw Caroline looking at him curiously.

"Have you seen Elena?" He asked.

"I thought she was with you." Stefan sounded worried. "Did something go wrong?"

"No, but she ran off while Tatia had me distracted."

"So it actually worked? The original Petrova is back?"

"In body, yes. Perhaps not in sanity though."

"What do you mean?"

"I reckon you'll find out soon enough. Feeling emotional yet, Caroline?" He asked cheerfully.

"No. If you don't stop bothering me, I might have to go on a killing spree too just to prove a point."

"Glad to hear it. I need to speak to my sister, don't let her go anywhere."

"Is Rebekah still stalking Matt?" Stefan asked sarcastically.

"No doubt. Damon should be here soon." With that, Klaus swept out the room as quickly as he'd arrived.

"How rude." Caroline crossed her arms and sighed. Stefan stood and stretched his back for a moment.

"You hungry?" He asked.

"For something fresh, yes." Caroline replied.

"No, blood bags only."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "It'll do for now." Stefan headed downstairs and Caroline rose from the couch. Where would I hide a daylight ring? She thought to herself, looking around the room in dismay. There had to be a thousand hiding places in here alone, never mind the rest of the massive house. Without any real conviction, Caroline pulled open a drawer and inspected it. Nothing. There was a knock at the door and she slammed the drawer shut quickly. Damon must be home.

"Stefan?" Damon called, pausing when he saw Caroline.

"He went downstairs to get some blood." She replied, feigning innocence.

"Lovely to see you too, Caroline." Damon smirked before stepping aside and allowing Tatia to follow. "This is Tatia." Even without her humanity, Caroline was taken aback by Tatia's appearance. She looked identical to Elena and Katherine. What did you expect? A doppelgänger who looked different?

"Keep her out of my hair." Caroline sniffed. "Just because I tolerate Katherine and Elena, doesn't mean I like her."

"Play nice, Blondie. Or I'll tell Stefan to let me have your daylight ring." He sounded cheerful despite her warning.

"Where'd he put it?" She demanded, but Damon just ignored her.

"I have to go look for Elena. She's gone missing, possibly killing people right now. One more mess for me to clean up. Have fun."

"Damon-" Caroline started, but he was already gone, and Katherine appeared from the doorway in his place.

"Hello Caroline." She said, sounding a bit unsure. Caroline ignored her. She had no interest in talking to this bitch. Unfortunately, Katherine seemed determined to do so anyway. "I'm not here to fight, Caroline."

"Neither am I, now leave before it becomes one."

"Don't be dramatic, I'm making an effort."

"To do what, exactly?"

"I…feel guilty about…everything."

"An apology from Katherine Pierce? Are you sure you're not actually Elena? She seems to enjoy pretending to be you."

"I really am sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I turned you and I turned Elena. I started everything."

"I'm grateful to you, Katherine. You rid me of my pathetic life, and then Elena helped free me from my humanity. I feel better than ever."

"We all say that when-" Katherine stopped abruptly when a crystal decanter smashed next to her head against the wall. Shards of glass scattered across the floor and she caught the wall to maintain her balance. Blood was pouring down her left cheek. "Tatia!" She screamed, as her ancestor picked up another glass. Just as she was about to throw it though, Stefan appeared out of nowhere and pulled it from her grip. Caroline looked on in amusement as Stefan forced her down onto one of the sofas and spoke menacingly.

"I'd rather you didn't do that."

"It's him! It's the Salvatore! The killer!" Tatia screeched, going absolutely wild. Stefan narrowly avoided a kick to the jaw and turned to Caroline.

"Can I get some help?" He asked. Caroline shrugged and tried to hide her smile as she pulled Tatia to her feet and pinned her arms behind her back. Stefan helped Katherine up and assisted her to the couch where she lay down, her lacerated cheek still bleeding.

"You feel, Katerina? Do you feel the pain?" Tatia glared at the vampire. "I hope you are scarred."

"Don't get your hopes up." Katherine managed to hiss between clenched teeth.

"I'll get a towel." Stefan said, and Katherine thanked him.

"What about me?" Caroline added. "What do I do with her?"

"Hold on for a second." Stefan replied. He returned a minute later and began dabbing the blood away from Katherine's face with the damp towel.

"Leave the glass." Tatia urged. "It's an improvement."

"How will you look with no head?" Katherine replied icily.

"Everyone just relax." Stefan tried to defuse the tension. "Caroline, maybe it'd be best to lock Tatia up for now."

"Okay." Caroline dragged a desperate Tatia towards the stairs as she kicked and grabbed at anything to save herself.

"No chains! No chains! No locks or cages or prisons!" She shouted.

"Oh shut up." Caroline said in annoyance, pushing open the thick door into the damp cell beneath the Boarding House. Strangely, rather than trying to run, Tatia simply collapsed in the corner when Caroline shoved her in and shut the door. "That's better. Keep it down."

"Did you kill her?" Katherine asked when Caroline re-entered the living room.

"No." She replied. Stefan was now carefully pulling glass from Katherine's cheek.

"Can you start picking up the broken glass, Care?" Stefan asked nicely. She laughed.

"No Stefan, I can't. When am I getting back my daylight ring?"

"When you feel again." He didn't look up from his task.

"Well then it looks like-" Caroline stopped when the front door burst open loudly and Tyler rushed in.

"Caroline?" He paused, taking in the strange scene.

"Tyler." She smiled. "Have you decided you also want to help me recover?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you heard? I'm a ruthless killer too now."

"You've flipped the switch?" He clenched his fists and glared at Stefan, who ignored him. "When? Why?"

"That's not too important. Elena made the choice pretty easy." Tyler tensed and Elena's name and his face grew angry.

"Where is Elena?"

"Everyone seems to be looking for her."

"Where is she, Care?" His tone was deadly serious.

"Why?"

"Didn't you hear? My mother's dead. Elena killed her."

"Oh, right." Caroline grinned at Tyler's look of rage and hurt. "That would make you angry, wouldn't it?" His expression was a mix of disbelief and disgust.

"Do you even care?"

"Care? Of course not. I can't wait to see the showdown, though." Tyler backed away slowly.

"Maybe you should leave, Tyler." Stefan offered. "You're feeling a bit impulsive. Elena's not herself. Neither is Caroline."

"I can see that. Do you know where Elena is, Stefan?"

"No, Damon's looking for her. What do you intend to do?"

"I'm going to kill her."

I looked out of the dusty window at the fading light outside. People were on their way home, looking forward to hot meals and warm beds. Across the street, a young man dropped his briefcase, spilling papers across the pavement. A passing girl stopped to help him pick it up. They shared a quick smile.

My stomach tightened, reminding me of the hunger gnawing at it. I turned and faced the crowd of innocent people I'd compelled into the apartment. There had to be at least thirty.

"Right, let's get started." I smirked and motioned for the first to approach.

[A/N: Sorry I took so long to update. I've had a severe case of writer's block (we all know the feeling). Never mind that though, I'm determined to finish this story. Please review and give your opinions and advice.]