Elena wasn't worried. She was absolutely sure that Klaus would return, and that was why she was so shocked and upset when he didn't. She waited hopefully for a week, not quite sure how long it had been, but alas, he was a no-show. As the blood slowly left her system, and the scratchy sensation resumed with vengeance inside her veins, she wondered whether it really had all been a cruel hallucination. She was, frankly, devastated.

A year or two passed, and Elena forgot about Klaus, his brother, and the entire exchange. Her mind was frittering away once again, and failed to grasp anything other than the stupid, basic facts. Her name was Elena. She was alive in 1864. Something happened in 1864- that's it. She can't recall the Salvatore brothers, or Katherine, or her parents death. When she tries to remember something, she just comes up blank, and the ringing in her ears becomes more prominent.

Outside of the tomb, things were happening. Damon and Stefan Salvatore had popped up once again, and they were close on Katherine's tail. Katherine was busy. She would find her Salvatore boys when she was ready, and would have her fun then, but only when she was ready. She required a distraction for the boys. And she knew just what to do, and it led her all the way to a tomb in Mystic Falls.

Elena groaned thoughtlessly, and noticed another's presence as that someone laughed maliciously, "So this is what I would look like if I were trapped in a tomb for years…" She said with a nasty smirk, "Hmmm, I don't think it would suit me. Knotty, bedraggled hair; dark under eye circles; and what is that foul smell?" She laughed.

Elena stared. She remembered her, but not completely- almost as a fuzzy image, a thing from far back in her youth.

The girl smiled, but it conjured fear in the limp Elena, who willed her lifeless legs to allow her to run. The girl said, "Do you remember me, Elena?" She asked, with a righteous air. Elena's head shook only slightly, "Good. My name is Katherine Pierce." She smiled and leant close to Elena, "I want a favour, and in return, I'll free you from this tomb, okay?" Elena's eyes widened, hope reinstalled in her. "I want you to keep two very frustrating boys out of my way while I'm busy. It'll only be for a few months, at most, and if you do well, I'll let you go free. However," she drawled, her expression darkening and becoming immensely intimidating. "If you defy me, or displease me, you'll be back in this tomb before you can pathetically whimper 'Please forgive me!'." She smirked, "Do we have a deal?" She raised one eyebrow.

Elena didn't even think; she didn't even understand the majority of Katherine's spiel, but her dying brain had grasped one sole fact: She might get out of that tomb. She nodded wildly, startled that her body even allowed her to do so.

Katherine smirked, and knelt close to her, and for the third time in Elena's… life, she was fed blood, and for the second time, she hungrily gulped and swallowed back the tantalizing beverage. It was over too quickly. "Get up." She demanded, and Elena obeyed gratefully. Katherine walked, and suddenly she was outside of the tomb, feeling a cool breeze on her skin.

"Here's what's going to happen. This human will take you to a house. You will wash, change, and wait for further instructions. You are not to leave the house until I visit and tell you to do so." She stares at me, "Do you understand?" Elena nodded, "Remember, if you go against an order, I'll bring you straight back her and you'll be stuck back in that tomb."

Elena nodded once again, grinning to Katherine, "Thank you so much. You can trust me. I won't let you down."

Katherine nodded to Elena once, "Good." She looked at the human girl, who flinched at Katherine's stern expression, "Fail me one more time," She warned, "And you'll regret it."

The girl nodded quickly, her eyes wide and alarmed. "Yes, Katherine." She was still nodding when Katherine turned away. Elena watched the girl a moment longer. She had blonde hair past her shoulders, twisting and flicking in all directions, and pale skin, clear of any blemishes. Her eyes were light blue, and she was almost as tall as Katherine and Elena. She was beautiful, but weak, and completely at the command of Katherine Pierce. She was human, and it was sickeningly obvious.

Katherine waited for Elena to turn her attention again before she spoke calmly, calculating, "Remember what I said." Elena was about to ask about blood, when Katherine looked amused and said, "This girl will bring you humans. Drink them dry if you wish; they are disposable and replaceable." She sent a look to the girl, letting her know that she wasn't only speaking to Elena.

"Goodbye, Elena Gilbert." Katherine said finally, "Remember what I said. I'll see you soon."

The blonde girl was slow, and it was beginning to frustrate Elena. She had been cooped up so long, she was desperate to stretch her legs, but the girl trudged along, restraining tears. Elena attempted to distract herself, "What's your name?" she asked the blonde, who worriedly cast a glance at the vampire.

She shouldn't trust her, the girl knew. She looked so much like Katherine, and she was a vampire too. she was blatantly evil; all of them were. She knew this, and yet she smiled slightly and said, with more confidence in her voice than she could recognise, "Caroline Forbes."

A/N: Hi, sorry for ANOTHER long wait, but it is finally here for you all. To answer someone's question, I don't plan on adding a Klaus/Elena love story. I hope you continue to read/favourite/review because it is very, very lovely when I check my emails and see a new notification *smiles hopefully*.

See you soon! Kate xxx