Sorry it took so long, I've been really busy, but here's Chapter 9. And thanks for reviewing, favoriting, adding alerts, and just reading it! :)

"Come home, cause I've been waiting for you, for so long. And right now there's a war between the vanities, but all I see is you and me. The fight for you is all I've ever known. Everything I can't be, is everything you should be. And that's why I need you here. So come home."~Come Home-One Republic

Elena

Katherine was out somewhere in Mystic Falls watching for Klaus and Stefan to get here so that we could be as ready as possible, and Damon had texted Alaric to come over because in Damon's words, "Who could be more helpful then a boozy, vampire hunting, history teacher?". Damon and Alaric were talking in Damon's room, and I could occasionally hear one or both of them raising their voice, which was typical for them. Elijah was in the living room with me though, and I decided to take advantage of this.

"Elijah." I called out.

Elijah turned toward me. "Yes Elena?"

"Do you actually think that Klaus is going to…fall in love with me?"

He seemed surprised by the question. "Honestly?" I nodded. "I have no idea. Klaus always said he didn't believe in that part of the curse, and I don't think he does. He didn't even believe there would actually be doppelgangers until we found Katerina."

"Do you actually love Katherine?" I asked before I could stop myself. I had been thinking about it ever since Katherine had told me her plan. I knew Elijah had loved Katherine back in 1492, but did he still love her?

Elijah cleared his throat. "I'm sorry." I said. "You don't have to answer that."

He nodded. "It's fine. But as far as I know, Charlotte is the only woman Klaus has ever loved, and he definitely loved her. He was a very different person back then."

"What do you mean?"

Elijah smiled to himself. "Klaus used to write these gaudy love letters to Charlotte that I thought were completely tasteless, though that could have just been the jealousy, but she seemed to like them. Like I said, Klaus was very different."

XXX

Klaus had to leave for a while because of our father. There was "family business" that he had to attend to. I thought I would finally have Charlotte all to myself, but he wrote to her as often as he could and she couldn't stop thinking about him.

Charlotte grabbed her mail from her dining room table and all I had to do was take one look at the envelope to know who it was from. "Another letter from Klaus?" I asked.

"Mhm." She peeled it open, and it was torture to watch her face light up as she read my brother's words. He mother called to her from another part of the house, and when she was gone curiosity got the best of me. I picked the letter up.

I miss you my darling, as I always do, but today has been particularly hard because the ocean has been singing to me, and the song is that of our life together someday… I will be home soon enough, don't forget me while I'm gone. ~Niklaus

XXX

Elijah studied me closely. I think he was maybe looking for a trace of Charlotte, his past. "To answer you question Elena," He said. "Yes. No matter what she does, I can't help it. I've been quietly looking out for her for over 500 years. And that's why I have to believe that the curse is real, and that Klaus will fall in love with you. And it will become something more powerful and dangerous then you could ever imagine."

A few seconds later I heard Damon's voice. "Wow. Things are getting deep in here." He and Alaric came in. "But Katherine just called. The ripper and the hybrid are officially back in town." His eyes met mine. "You ready?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Damon

I lead Alaric up to my room so that I could fill him in on the plan. "Bourbon?" I offered.

He shook his head. "No." Surprising. That meant he probably wanted to have a talk with me too. "Damon, I need to talk to you." Yep. Who knew what this could be leading to.

"Well then I'm probably going to need a drink then." He rolled his eyes. "What is it Ric?"

"I think you and Elena need to take a beat."

"Excuse me?"

"You need a break from Elena. I'm trying to protect her, and I don't know what's going on here but I think it's only going to end up hurting you both."

I swallowed the entire glass of bourbon. "Sorry Ric, but I don't think that's going to happen."

"Well it should. Ever since you two came back from Chicago she's spent almost all her time here and—"

"And so have Elijah and Katherine. Yeah. Don't you want to know why they're here? What the plan is? Elena actually needs me now more than ever. And even if she didn't, being with her, I feel more alive then I have for the past 146 years. I can't just not see her Ric."

He avoided my eyes. "Fine. Just tell me the plan."

I took a few minutes to fully explain everything to him, and as I was finishing Katherine called. That meant they were probably here.

"Hello?"

"Stefan and Klaus are officially back."

"I figured. Are you getting ready to lure them back here?"

"Yep. I'm on the way to the Grill right now dressed in my boring Elena outfit to meet Blondie. And witch bitch is making sure Klaus overhears her saying that she's going to go meet Elena and Caroline."

"Ok. I'll make sure Elena's ready."

"Ok. This has to work Damon."

"I know. Bye Katherine."

"Bye Damon."

Stefan

As Klaus, Rebekah, and I pulled into Mystic Falls and got out of the car we saw Bonnie standing on the other side of the street on the phone. I didn't know what the rest of the plan was and I really didn't care as long as Elena would be ok, but I was hoping that Bonnie was a part of it.

"Stefan." Klaus said. "Go find out where Bonnies going and if it has anything to do with Elena."

I nodded and got close enough to where I could hear what she was saying.

"Yes Caroline. I'm on my way right now." She started walking more hurriedly. "Is Elena there yet? Ok, I'll see you guys at the Grill in a few minutes. Bye."

I quickly went back over to Klaus. "She's going to meet Elena and Caroline at Mystic Grill right now."

He smiled. "Excellent. Rebekah, go to the Grill and see where Elena is going next."

Rebekah came around the side of the car. "Why me?"

"Because they don't know you. Just go. Elena obviously looks just like Charlotte."

"Obviously."

"Stefan and I will wait here."

"Fine. I'll go spy on the doppelganger."

Rebekah came back about thirty minutes later.

Klaus seemed almost nervous. "Where is she?" He asked quickly. Had that dream really gotten to him that much?

"She's going to go see Damon. Whoever that is."

"My brother."

Klaus looked at me. "The boarding house then?"

"Guess so."

When we came to the boarding house a thousand memories filled my head as I saw it all again. It almost physically hurt. "That's Elena's car in the driveway."

Klaus nodded. "You stay with Rebekah. Go find a nice foreclosure for us to stay at or something."

"Klaus—" I had to make sure he didn't hurt Elena. Damon was here of course. And maybe Katherine and Elijah. But would that be enough?

"Go Stefan." Klaus said forcefully.

Rebekah grabbed my hand. "Come on Stefan. No need to put Nick in a pissy mood. Especially before he goes to see your girl."

"Fine." I sighed. "But don't—"

"Hurt her. I won't. Don't worry mate."

I took one more look at the boarding house before leaving with Rebekah. I was so close to Elena, to my old life. I would see Elena tonight, I didn't care what Klaus did.

Elena

There was a knock at the door. I was on edge, and I jumped. Damon tightened his grip on my hand, reassuring me. "Do you think it's him?" I whispered.

"Only one way to find out." He whispered back. I had to go find out whether I wanted to or not. He kissed my hand before letting me go.

I opened the door to find Klaus standing there. No surprise. I had forgotten how devastatingly handsome he was though. It was hard to see him as a monster when he was standing here like this.

"Hello Elena." He smiled. We were watching each other carefully.

"Klaus."

Plenty of Klena, Delena, and Stelena all in the next chapter. :) Thanks for reading, and reviews are always greatly appreciated! :)