Rachel Mickealson
Part 2
Rachel was turning 15 in a few days and she had no idea what was planed for her.
She was living in Chicago with her father, her uncle Kol and her uncle Elijah. Right next door, Doctor Martin was living with his son and his daughter. Indeed, when they left Lima, the warlock had decided to follow the original family, mainly because he enjoyed working for Klaus, but also because Lukas insisted it was his job to magically protect Rachel, he was her best friend. But now that she was older, Bella realised that working for her father brought some sort of security for the warlock's family.
She often got visits from her Aunt Rebecca. The blond vampire had gone after her old love Stefan once she was sure he got his memory back and, after finding him feeding on animals, tried to convince him he could be in control while drinking human blood. She was working on it with him at the moment, but it was harder than it looked because Stefan was still hurt over his growing dispute with his brother Damon. Rebecca decided to take matters into her own hands and was now working on the reconciliation of both brothers.
When she learned their disagreement was because of Katherine, she laughed and called Klaus and Elijah before telling the Salvatore brother the truth about the doppelganger. Stefan was fine with it but Damon was mad. He forgave his brother of course, but now he was dead set on finding the vampire Petrova doppelganger and killing her. Rebecca promised Rachel she would introduce the brothers to her as soon as things were under control for them. Apparently, it wouldn't be for her birthday but things should be ready when she moved to Mystic Falls where Klaus was building a house big enough to room his whole family. Until then, Rachel had received a picture of Rebecca with the two brothers and had send her latest school play (West Side Story, she was Maria) to her aunt and she knew the blond original had showed it to the brothers. Personally, Rachel thought that Damon looked hotter than Stefan, but then again, she had different tastes than her aunt…
Sage and Finn also visited sometimes but used the present time to travel a lot and catch up on all the years they had been forced apart. Also, they always sent a little something from wherever they were staying for Rachel. The young girl received numerous items for various countries over the years and she kept them all in a shelf dedicated to her aunt and uncle's travels.
The last few years of her life had been a blast. A few bad people had tried to hurt her to get to her father or her uncles but she was never alone. Most of the times, Lukas would give them a magical headache and have them on the floor long enough for her to run away or for them to call for help. Other times she was rescued by some vampires her father had patrolling around the places she liked to stay.
Rachel kept going to dance classes and singing lessons and every time she had a show, all her uncles and aunts would come to see her. The rare times on of them couldn't come, they would show him or her the recording of the event. She was never alone and every time her father would buy her flowers before to show her support. She had won several times, and when she didn't win, her family would tell her she would win the next time around, that she was good and one competition lost from time to time was good experience. Her father always made sure to make her feel like a star.
Klaus was worried… He was used to seeing Lukas Martin around his daughter but lately he seamed to be looking at her differently and Klaus, being the concerned father he is, didn't like it one bit. Rachel was about to turn 15, Lukas was 16 going on 17… He remembered what went on the mind of boys that age…He didn't like it at all. He had to do something…
"Have you talked to your son?" Klaus asked Dr Martin.
"Yes, he assured me Rachel was his best friend and that he didn't see her 'that way'…" The black warlock answered.
"Do you believe him?" Klaus was doubtful.
"I do..." Doctor Martin sounded sure of himself.
"Well, don't expect me to lessen my watch… He is still a hormonal teenage boy who spends way too much time with my innocent sweet little girl!" Klaus said, making Elijah smile from his seat near the fire place.
"Don't worry, I had a talk with his sister…she knows more than I do when it comes to Lukas' love life… She heard Rachel and Lukas talking… Lukas has his eyes set on some cheerleader at school and later Glinda heard Rachel telling Lukas that whoever she ended up dating, she was planning on waiting for her 25th birthday to have sex!" Doctor Martin explained.
"Well, isn't my daughter the best? I knew I did something good while raising her!" Klaus said, his worries to rest, for the time being.
"Wait until she meets a boy that she actually likes and her hormones come out to play!" Kol noted with amusement, bringing back the look of worry on his hybrid brother's face.
"Do they still make chastity belt?" Klaus asked seriously, making them all laugh. However, Klaus looked serious as he stepped toward his computer to look it up.
"Oh yeah, I'm sure a chastity belt is exactly what Rachel wanted for her 15th birthday!" Elijah exclaimed between laughter, ignoring the murderous looks Klaus was sending their way.
It was their last year in Chicago. They had moved here from Texas a couple of years ago and, when summer came, they would all move to the house they where building in Mystic Falls. Doctor Martin was planning on finding an apartment there as well. He grew attached to the family and he knew his children didn't want to part with Rachel; they were taking her protection to heart and he had to admit that he would miss the girl greatly too.
"What are you planning for Rachel's birthday?" Elijah asked his brother once the Martin's had gone home.
"Well, I'm going to take her to see a special showing of Funny Girl, and then she will meet Barbara Streisand… I've been planning this for a year now and it's perfect! After a big family breakfast I'm going to spend the whole day alone with her… It's been a while since that happened and I know she's missing it." Klaus said.
"She'll love that!" Kol said.
Kol saw himself more like Rachel's big brother than like her uncle, probably because he was still young and pretty immature. Actually, he planed to join her in high school once they moved to Mystic Falls and he knew Rebecca and Stefan had the same plans… Rachel didn't know that though, it was going to be a surprise for her birthday.
When she woke up on the morning of her 15th birthday, Rachel was over exited. She didn't know what her father had planned for her but the fact that he kept it a secret meant that it was something big.
The day started with a big breakfast where the Martin's were also invited, along with her uncles and aunts. Indeed, Rebecca left Stefan with his brother to come for her birthday and Rachel was happy to see her again after so long. When she learned that both Kol and Rebecca would join Mystic Falls' high school with her, she liked it and jumped with happiness for a while. According to her, it was the best present anyone could have given her…
Well, she didn't know what was coming now, did she.
"Where are we going daddy?" Rachel asked as she sat in Klaus' car. Even though she was now a teenager, she always felt like a little girl when her father was around.
"We are going to spend the rest of the day alone…just the two of us… I know that it didn't happen in a while and you miss it! To tell you the truth, so do I…" Klaus said with a big smile, earning a smile just as big from his star of a daughter.
"You're the best daddy!" She squealed.
They went to the zoo and had lunch there. It was something they used to do quite often when she was a little girl and he thought it would be a good idea to remember those past moments spent together… After all, she was growing up and soon she would leave him to live her life… Of course he knew she would always come back to him… but how often? It was his biggest fear that she happened to be happier away from him and chose to stay away from vampires and supernatural… Shaking his head, he did his best to forget about that and concentrated on the he smile that was on her face at the moment as she watched the wolves… Her favourite animals…
After that, he took her shopping for the afternoon and spent quite a bit of money on her.
Of course he was happy to do so, she was his own personal sun and whenever he had doubt on anything, he would find his answer by watching her sleep or go about her day. She was his salvation, his second chance, and he would do anything to keep her safe and happy.
"What are we doing at this theatre daddy?" They were in front of an old movie theatre and there was not sign on the walls to show what was going on inside.
"There is a special showing of Funny Girl…I got us both tickets." He said as she jumped to hug him.
When they stepped inside and took their seats in the room, Rachel and Klaus were talking about small nothings when she stopped and looked stunned towards the side of the screen. Her idol, the great Barbara Streisand had just entered the room.
"Happy birthday my little star!" Klaus whispered in his daughter's ear.
"Is it really her?" Rachel whispered back.
"Yes, it is. She will answer some questions at the end. I made sure you could have some time alone with her after that. You're having dinner with her." Klaus said to his daughter as she looked at him like he was a god.
"You're the best father ever daddy!" She said with tears in her eyes as the movie started.
Klaus watched his daughter move her lips as she spoke her idol's lines and smiled. She was happy, so he was too.
When the movie ended and the icon came up front with the lights on her, Rachel dried her tears with a tissue her father had handed her before concentrating on what the great Barbara was saying. She refrained from asking her questions since she knew she would spend some one on one time with the great woman.
As the questions where over and the woman had signed some autographs, Klaus pushed Rachel towards her.
"Mister Mickealson… It's good to see you again! Is this your daughter Rachel?" The star greeted the man she had met a while ago, driving the young girl in heaven.
They talked some more before Barbara mentioned it was time to go if they didn't want to miss their reservations.
"I'll see you later princess. They will drop you off back home. Call me if there is any problem okay?" Klaus said as he kissed her forehead.
"Thank you so much daddy!" Rachel said as she hugged him once more to show him her gratitude.
"Happy birthday princess." He told her before going out without her.
When Klaus got home, he was nervous. For the first time since he found that car crashed against a tree, he was leaving his little girl alone without anyone he trusted completely to watch over her. He had his phone on a tight grip the whole time and his siblings couldn't do anything to distract him.
"She's happy brother! She's spending time with her all time favourite idol… What could possibly go wrong here?" Rebecca asked him.
"What if someone tries to attack Barbara and ends up hurting Rachel? What if the food at the restaurant is poisoned? What if…" Klaus started but was cut off by Elijah.
"Don't worry so much, brother. The Martin's are looking out for her. You know they are…"
"I know… And her necklace will warn us if she is in any danger…" Klaus reasoned with himself.
"Of course. You're just over reacting…" Sage told him.
"It's just that I don't know how I would go on if something where to happen to her… She changed me so much… Loosing her is my biggest fear… it would kill me…" He confessed.
"Don't worry, you're not alone brother, we all care about her and you know that should anything happen to her, we would all be there to help you find her or get revenge…" Finn said. This surprised all the others because Finn was the pacifist of the family.
They decided to spend the rest of the evening until Rachel got home by watching all of the videos they had of her, from her first baby video that had been made during her second day as a Mickealson to the one they did this morning, including all of her competitions and shows. It was a lot to watch so they skipped some of it only to watch their favourites.
When midnight came around and she still wasn't there, Klaus got up.
"She's late!" He said.
"Maybe she's having so much fun with her idol she didn't realise what time it was." Elijah said.
"Or maybe she was kidnapped by some crazy vampire…Maybe Katerina found my baby and is trying to hurt her as we speak!" Klaus said in a panicked tone.
"You can't go with her everywhere brother. She needs to know that you trust her to keep herself safe! What are you going to do when she starts dating?" Rebecca said wisely.
"I'll have someone double date with her, or I'll have her followed by someone I trust completely!" Klaus said.
"Who do you trust completely?" Finn asked.
"Hum…Rachel of course…and you all… and me…" He answered his brother before adding "Actually Rachel is still slightly too young to be trusted for something like this…and I don't trust myself completely, I have a terrible temper…So do most of you…" They all smiled at that. They knew Klaus was just being an over panicking father at the moment so they didn't get offended by what he said.
It's only 30 minutes after midnight that they heard a car stop outside the house.
"Finally!" Klaus huffed as he rushed to open the door. Rachel was getting out of the car with a big smile on her face and a bag she didn't have before.
"Daddy! Oh you're the best daddy in the world. I had the best time ever! Barbara even let me sing with her and she said I was very good and that she would keep an eye out for my big debut in Broadway! We sung "Tell him", I got to sing Celine Dion's part. She gave me a birthday gift and even wrote me a recommendation letter for when I send my application for NYADA in a few years. We lost track of times but she said I was a future star! Can you believe it daddy?" Rachel said excitedly as they directed her towards the living room.
"I'm glad you had fun sweetheart but you're an hour late!" He said as he hugged her close to his heart.
"I know but I asked the driver to take the long road back home because I think a saw the girl you drew… Katerina…or, well a doppelganger anyway…but I'm sure she was a vampire…So I asked to take the long way home to make sure she didn't follow us." Rachel said.
"I'll have someone look into it right away." Klaus managed to say behind the rage that took over him when he learned that Katerina had scared his baby girl. However, he was proud of the way she had handled things.
Rachel then proceeded in showing them what the great Jewish icon had gotten her. It was a notebook for her to compose music with a dedication from Barbara at the beginning. She also got a recording of their singing together. He heard Rachel noting that she would have to make a copy so she didn't lose it by accident. He smiled, she seamed happy enough. He sneaked into the next room to call a vampire that worked for him. He asked the vampire to check if Katerina was really in town.
After a while, Rachel declared that she was tired and wanted to get some sleep so she went to bed. Klaus went to check on her several times that night. It didn't matter how protected she was, he could feel a danger about to jump on her and take his angel away from him. He wouldn't have it and decided to increase security around the house.
For the next few days, Rachel was still on the high she got from meeting her idol. Someone that had been present when they sung together had put the video online and she enjoyed the pleasure she got from reading the nice comments there was about her.
She saw a comment from an old friend of hers from Lima, Noah Puckerman had commented that she hadn't changed a bit and she was just as talented as she used to be. She sent him an email, giving him some of her news and got an answer back from him. He told her it was his mother, a big fan of Barbara, who had seen the video and showed it to him when she recognized Rachel. She learned he was the kind of boy her father wanted to protect her from, he was a 'stud', having sex with cougars around town… she told him she was concerned for him, that it wasn't the right way to go about things if he really wanted to turn out different than his father. He didn't answer for a few days and when he did, he told her she was right. He promised her he would try to change his ways. They kept on corresponding regularly, becoming good friends through the computer.
A FEW MONTHS LATER
It was now the end of June and there was no news of Katerina. She had been seen in town but nobody knew where she was at the moment. There were rumours of her being seen in Florida a few months back with a pack of werewolves, but nothing concrete. That alone was proof that the doppelganger bitch was planning something that wasn't right.
Klaus seemed to relax a bit as they planed they future trip to their new home. Rachel was very exited too and decided to make a trip to the homeless shelter to give away her old clothes and toys as well as some books that she didn't want to take with her in their new home. She had Lukas driving her there and back.
She didn't know that the vampire doppelganger was watching her, ready to step in when she got the sign that it was safe.
As she got out of the shelter, Rachel was feeling like she was being watched. As she got to Lukas' car, the feeling only got stronger and her friend was nowhere to be seen. She grew scared as she understood that something was wrong. The feeling was creepy and unfortunately, it wasn't the protective feeling she usually get when one of her father's vampire was looking over her so she discreetly got her phone out and texted her father:
"Just left the shelter. Lukas not in car. Can't see him. Feels like I'm being watched. I'm scared." She hit send immediately and kept acting like she didn't feel like anything was wrong. He plan to seek shelter in the car was cut short when a feminine hand shot out of nowhere to close it back up.
"Finally I manage to get Klaus' little princess alone!" The voice wasn't familiar but when Rachel turned around she realised it was Katerina who was standing in front of her, her vampire face out. She could feel her phone vibrating, indicating someone was trying to call her. Instinctively, she knew it was her father and felt slightly less scared. He was probably on his way already along with everyone else.
"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head princess, daddy dearest won't find us just yet… We're moving away!" Katerina said as she ran away with Rachel in her arms after seeing a spark hope in Rachel's eyes. Rachel was suddenly thankful for the spell Lukas had experimented on her cell phone. Indeed, no vampire Rachel didn't trust could hear or feel her cell phone ringing or vibrating. It was another security measure that her father had tried to put in place after her birthday... Now she knew that it really was necessary.
"Where are you taking me?" Rachel asked as she was tightly tied up in a car passenger seat.
"You actually expect me to answer that question?" Katerina asked with an incredulous look.
"Not really, but since I know who you are, the next traditional question in this situation was to ask you where you are taking me! I could have asked you where we were but I knew that also…" Rachel said, hoping to annoy the vampire that had just kidnapped her.
"Well, miss blabber mouth, I think it's time for you to shut that singing mouth of yours if you don't want to get hurt!" Katerina said.
"It doesn't really matter either way. You just kidnapped me to get to my father, so you will end up hurting me anyway." Rachel said.
"Well, aren't you a smart little thing! I'm not planning on hurting you anymore than necessary, but if you don't listen to me soon little girl, you will end up injured so badly that you will be begging for death to come and get you!" Katerina said as she snapped on of Rachel's fingers, making her cry in pain.
Rachel decided that listening to the vampire was her best shot at getting out of this in one living piece so she kept quiet, knowing that her necklace was sending her location to the Martin's. Suddenly, she remembered Lukas.
"What did you do to Lukas?" Rachel asked in a small voice.
"Oh, don't worry, they will find your hot boyfriend sedated and tied up in the trunk of his car." Katerina smirked.
"We're just friends…" Rachel felt the need to comment before staying quiet.
As soon as he got his daughter's text message, Klaus let out an enraged cry and got everyone's attention. Fortunately, Doctor Martin and his daughter were already here, waiting on Lukas to come back before leaving. He showed everyone the text and tried to call her while the warlock tried his son. When nobody answered they all rushed to the parking of the homeless shelter. Elijah was carrying Doctor Martin and Kol was carrying Glinda.
When they arrived, they saw Lukas' car but there was no sign of Rachel or the boy. Doctor Martin immediately joined hands with his daughter as they worked their magic and felt the air. While he did that, Klaus, Kol, Elijah, Sage and Finn tried to smell around the place to see if there was a scent they recognized but they got nothing. They realised soon that it was because of the magical powder that was scattered all around the place. After less than a minute, Glinda let go of her father's hand and watched him rush to the trunk of his son's car. They all gathered to see Lukas tied up and unconscious, tied up tightly. After untying him, his father sent a powerful jolt of magic into him and the young man started to regain consciousness.
"Rachel! She's in danger… It was Katerina… She wants to take Rachel!" Was the first thing Lukas said as soon as his mind caught on to the situation. As he watched the grim faces around him, he didn't need to be a mind reader to understand that the warning came too late.
"The bitch came at me from behind. She injected some stuff in me that made me sleepy and I couldn't move. Then she tied me up in the trunk… I tried to fight it but could do anything about it… There was some powder on the ropes that stopped my magic… I'm so sorry Klaus I really tried to protect her…" Lukas said frantically, looking at his kidnapped best friend's father.
"I know Lukas… I know you did your best… Katerina must have been preparing this little act for some time now…" Klaus said, trying to remain calm.
"Are you in need of some of my blood Lukas?" Finn asked the injured boy.
"Thanks but I'll be fine. Let's concentrate on locating her with the necklace now… We don't know what the bitch as in store for Rachel." Lukas answered.
They gathered back at the Mickealson's house and activated the locating spell. The three Martin's formed a circle and started murmuring in a strange language as the original lighted candles around them. While they chanted, Elijah took his phone out and called Rebecca. He told her what happened and that they might need her help. She assured him that she was on her way with both Salvatore brothers and to call her back as soon as they knew where they needed to go. Klaus was walking in circles around the room, unable to sit still and in need to be doing something to protect and save his baby.
"It's weird… I can't locate her but I can feel that she is hurt and scared…" Glinda said.
"Hurt? How is she hurt? The bitch is going to pay!" Klaus said forcefully.
"It's not much yet… Just a broken finger…" Lukas said, knowing it was not comforting the worried father in any way.
"We can't get a hold of her position… We need something stronger to connect to…" Doctor Martin said in a frustrated tone.
"I have some blood of hers stored… It was her idea, in case something was to happen to her… Maybe she felt it coming…" Klaus said as Sage rushed to the basement to retrieve Rachel's blood.
While she did so, Elijah went away to retrieve a map so they could help locate the girl that was so precious to the people in the house.
After another long 15 minutes, they had a location. It was a house in an abandoned area and they were soon jumping in the cars to get there fast. While Elijah called Rebecca, he went in the first car with Glinda, Lukas and Klaus who was driving his expensive and fast car. The other car had Doctor Martin, Finn, Kol and the fast driver, Sage. Rebecca texted that they weren't very far away from said location and that they would arrive about the same time they did.
Rachel was now chained up to a cold and humid stone wall, in the basement of a big house in the middle of nowhere. Katerina had met up with a witch midway and Rachel gathered that even if the woman hadn't wanted to help, she didn't have a choice if she wanted her daughter to survive. Rachel tried to show the witch that she understood and to beg her to help her family locate them… She hoped the message got across.
Her finger was still hurting and she grew scared when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs, joining her in the basement.
"Well, well, well, how is the little princess doing? Need something? A little more pain maybe…" Katerina said as she broke another finger, on the other hand. Rachel cried out in pain and could feel tears going down her cheek.
"Why are you doing this to me? I didn't do anything to you, I never did anything bad to anyone…" Rachel said after Katerina broke her 3 finger and kicked her in the ribcage, breaking several ribs as she did so.
"Don't you worry that little head of yours sweet thing…You're just a mean to an end… a way to get what I want… Nothing more…" Katerina said as she cut the skin on Rachel's leg, she added:
"You'll soon realise that you're completely alone in this… Nobody will come for you!"
"You're wrong! My father will come, and he won't be alone!" Rachel said, trying to sound as confident as she could.
"I hope you didn't delude yourself in thinking that I was alone here?" Katerina laughed.
"You're the only one I've seen…" Rachel said, hoping to gather useful information. Even if she was unable to use them, she learned from her father than the more information you got the better off you were.
"I've been keeping the others patrolling upstairs…I want you all to myself little Rachel…" Katerina said as she got closer to the girl she was torturing.
"As soon as daddy comes with everyone, they will leave you!" Rachel tried to sound confident but failed. She was in too much pain for any of this.
"No they won't… See, I changed them myself and they are sired to me… I guess you could look at them as a group of very strong little slaves… I'm in charge here and everything will go as I plan little girl! I'll be back later; my favourite show is on soon!" Katerina said as she left Rachel alone in the basement.
As soon as she got upstairs, Katerina knew there was one more thing she needed to do in case Klaus won. She got her cell phone out and called a number she collected a few months ago in New York. She got the voicemail, so she left a message:
"Hello Miss Corcoran, it's me… I just wanted to inform you that your daughter, Rachel, was moving to Mystic Falls, Virginia during the coming summer… if you still want to get to know her, now's the time. Her fathers died when she was a baby and according to records she got adopted by one of their best friends, Klaus Mickealson… She would probably love to have some quality time with her mother…" Katerina hung up right then with a satisfactory smile on her face…
Even if she didn't make it, even if Klaus stopped her from killing Rachel in front of his helpless eyes, she would hurt that family, one way or another. She had met the woman a few months ago when she was looking for information to get to Rachel and she had compelled the mother to look for her daughter when she got news. Shelby Corcoran was supposed to convince Rachel she only wanted what was best for her and to rope the girl into a relationship before ending things and breaking the girl's heart every way possible. Even if she didn't want to hurt her daughter, it would be unconscious; Shelby would end up doing a lot of damages in Rachel's life.
When they arrived on the right location, Rebecca was waiting for them with two young men that they supposed where the Salvatore brothers. Sage already knew Damon from 1912 when she taught him all she knew and they had met earlier in the year so he could meet Finn. After some really fast introductions, she told them they had spotted at least 10 vampires around the place, possibly more. They decided to separate and aim to kill. The main goal was to save Rachel; the second was to end Katerina's life, painfully if possible.
As they were about to separate and go their own way around the house, a witch approached them.
"I mean you no arm…" She said as she raised her hands.
"Are you the witch that helped Katerina kidnapping Rachel?" Lukas asked, recognising her aura.
"Yes… I'm sorry…Katerina had my baby girl prisoner and would have killed her if I didn't help her… I was supposed to block the place from magical detection but when I saw the person I helped kidnap was just an innocent human…I left the spell…"
"Why are you here then?" Rebecca asked, worried for her niece and friend.
"I promised the girl I would do my best to help… From what I gathered Katerina made 17 vampires, they are sired to her… she forced me to do it. I think she keeps the girl in the basement…" The witch said.
"Thank you… I suggest you leave before I change my mind and decide you are also to blame for this!" Klaus said as they all took off around the property.
Rachel was feeling tired and she was aching all over. She was losing a lot of blood from the cut on her leg, her hands were swollen because of the broken fingers and she had trouble breathing because of her broken ribs. She hoped her father would come soon because she didn't know of she would survive another visit from Katerina the bitch.
Just as she was thinking that, she heard a big commotion outside the house. Windows and furniture were breaking and people were yelling. Her father was here, finally!
When she heard rushed footsteps in the stairs, she looked up to see Katerina in front of her with one of those daggers that could put her family to sleep for centuries…
"Well, you're better protected than I thought, but I'm not worried… I will get my revenge before I meet my death!" Katerina said as she walked slowly, like a feline, toward the young girl. As Katerina was walking her way, Rachel noticed movements in the doorway and saw two young men she saw only once before, in a picture that Rebecca had sent her. The hot one put his index finger in front of his lips to show her she had to keep quiet.
"You won't make it! Daddy will get you before you even touch me!" Rachel said, looking the vampire bitch in the eyes.
"News flash sweet heart, I've touched you and he still isn't here…" Katerina said as she raised her hand to cut Rachel's right arm with the dagger. Damon yanked the bitch back just as the dagger touched Rachel's skin.
"Missed me bitch?" He said rage fully as he threw her into the wall. Stefan was guarding the doorway to make sure she didn't escape.
"Damon…Stefan…" Katerina had a look of horror on her face… She was screwed.
Just then, the other arrived, Stefan moved to get a hold of Katerina as Finn blocked the doorway. Klaus rushed to his daughter's side and gave her some of his blood so she could heal faster. Then he untied her. As he did so, Rachel saw Damon looking at her with concerned eyes. She gave him a soft smile and blushed slightly when her father caught on to it and looked back at the young Vampire. Rachel hoped he wouldn't hurt her saviour… She could feel a link between them… Somehow, she needed him to live…
"Oh, if it isn't daddy dearest… You're going soft big guy!" Katerina said. If she was going to die anyway, might as well do it in style.
"Don't worry I'm not so soft that I'll spare you! Damon, she's yours to kill mate! Have fun. I just want to see her dead body when you're done!" Klaus said as he gathered his little star in his arms.
"Thank you!" Damon answered with a scary smile.
"I knew you'd come for me… I tried to hold on as long as I could…"She said as she held her tighter against his heart.
"I'm here… You're safe baby…She won't hurt you anymore…" Klaus said. Anyone who looked close enough would notice a small tear rolling against his cheek.
"Did you find Lukas? His is doing okay? It's not his fault you know…I'm the one who asked him to stay in the car while I went into the shelter…" Rachel said.
"Yes, he is fine. He's in the car right now. Come now, we'll get you home and clean you up…"Klaus said in a soft voice that surprised Katerina as he took off toward his car. Before leaving the room, Rachel gave one last look in Damon's direction, surprised to see him staring back at her with amazing softness.
"Have fun mate!" Klaus said to Damon before climbing the stairs.
"Oh I will!" Damon answered with a ferocious smile on his face.
"I didn't think you'd be one to follow orders Damon…" Katerina said, hoping to get the man by using his pride.
"You confuse orders and gifts Katherine…I get the honour of killing you…I get to drag it out…" Damon said.
"Are you sure you'll be able to do it? I mean, you have been pinning for me for quite some time…" The others were still here, watching and blocking her way.
"You see Sage here? I met her in 1912… She's quite the teacher you know… She taught me everything I need to know to kill you and make you last ten rounds… Ready to see if I remember you lessons well Sage?" Damon asked his old mentor.
"Bring it Damon, make me a proud teacher!" Sage answered with an amused smile.
Katerina really looked scared now…
Damon and Stefan and quickly killed the vampires that were in their way and were the first to step into the basement. They advanced silently and caught Katerina trying to scare Rachel more. They could smell blood and Damon gave his brother a quick look to see if he was handling the situation. When his brother nodded to assure him he was fine, they kept going down until they were in the doorway.
Besides the rage he felt at the bitch for betraying his trust, Damon felt another, more powerful, surge of anger when he looked at the girl he had previously seen only on videos Rebecca, Sage and Finn had shown him. With one look he knew she had recognised him…them. He silently asked her to keep quiet and saw her create a diversion by keeping Katherine busy and concentrated on her. When he saw that his ex was about to plant some silver dagger into the delicate girl, he jumped into action, quickly telling Stefan to block the doorway. Katherine was stronger than him but he had more motivation and he was proud when he didn't fall for her temptations. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Stefan bending down and picking up the dagger, probably trying to make sure nobody killed Rebecca.
When the other originals finally joined them downstairs, he settled on holding Katherine so Klaus could make his move, he was, after all, the one who deserved revenge at the moment. When Klaus told him he could end the bitch's life and make her suffer if he wanted, he was surprised at the faith the hybrid was putting in him. Then he realised that Rachel was in no state to stick around and he was probably just a worried father trying to decide what was best for his daughter.
Damon made sure to make the bitch pay. Klaus was on his way home with Rachel and the warlocks, leaving them to rejoins them later, with Katherine's dead body. He made her believe she had a chance of escaping a few times before jumping back in and making her suffer. She tried to beg her way out when she saw that manipulation didn't work but he was having none of it.
"Please, Damon… Remember when you loved me…" She said as he threw her against the same wall she had used to chain Rachel.
"I never loved you I loved the idea of love. You compelled me to believe it was you but it wasn't." He spat her way.
"There is more though…" Katherine was trying to understand what was going on. Damon shouldn't be that hard to convince, unless he loved someone else already… she made sure of that through a simple spell in 1864.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" He was trying to remain calm. His brother saw too that Damon was reacting harder than he should be.
"What's happened Damon? Who is it?" She asked him as Stefan was trying to understand.
"Nothing, I just want you dead…But I want you to suffer before you do!" he said as she tried to snap his neck. He moved quickly and broke her arm before she could touch him.
"No, it's more than that… See, I had you under a simple spell that meant you would be unable to let go of your love for me unless you met your true love…Who is it?" Katherine was smug now and Damon blanched slightly.
"No one!" Damon tried to deny. Every other person in the room understood that he was lying and wondered what happened. Rebecca and Stefan whispered, wondering when it happened since he was fine before they arrived. He had met no one since… Unless… It dawned on every one of them at the same time… Katherine is the one who voiced it.
"Oh… I get it…Looks like little Rachel got herself another boyfriend… You know she's only 15, right? And she's way too innocent for you…" Damon let his guard down at that moment and Katherine managed to break his left leg. He got up fast and punched his fist through her ribcage, bending his neck towards her he whispered:
"Yes, it's Rachel and no, I won't pursue her because she deserves better than someone as screwed up as me… Maybe later, when she's older I'll be worth it but until then I will protect her from the likes of you… That's love bitch!" As he said the last word, he pulled the dead heart out of Katherine. Before she faded away, she whispered something in Bulgarian... Elijah informed them that she just asked for forgiveness.
The next few seconds were awkward. Damon knew everyone had heard what he told Katherine and he was suddenly aware than he was in presence of her 3 original uncles and 2 just as badasses aunts.
"Well, that was interesting…" Rebecca said, breaking the silence.
"Like I said, it doesn't matter right now. She's 15 and still a teenager… I'm too screwed up right now to give her hopes by trying to win her heart… I would probably end up breaking it anyway…" Damon said as he cleaned his hand off on Katherine's shirt.
"Brother… Don't talk like that… You're worth…" Stefan started but was cut off by Damon:
"Don't Stefan… I'm not ready to give her what she deserves…"
"Well, at least you're reasonable…Let's gather the body and get home, we'll see where we go from there." Elijah said.
They put Katherine in the trunk of a car and all left towards the house in Chicago.
When Klaus saw the state his daughter was in, he wanted to rip the doppelganger apart, and he only stopped when he saw Damon looking at his daughter. It lasted only a few seconds but it was enough for him to understand that the young vampire had fallen for his daughter in the few minutes he had been alone with her… It took him all his self control to put his trust into the man but he managed to do it and left him in charge of ending Katerina's life.
He could feel Rachel clinging to him, trying to find some sense of comfort close to her father. As he sat her down in the back seat of the car, between himself and Lukas, Doctor Martin took the driver seat and Glinda the passenger seat. On the way, he made sure every bone was healing the right way and asked her to tell them how it happened. He tried to remain calm as his angel cried through it all.
"The witch didn't want to daddy, but Katerina had her baby… She had to help… She didn't mean it… please don't hurt her…" Rachel said at some point.
"Don't worry princess, we let her go… I understand why she did it…I probably would have done the same if your life was in danger and I wasn't strong enough to defend you…" Klaus said as he hugged her closer to him.
A little later, he asked her:
"What was that with Damon?"
"I don't know…I feel a pull to him… I know I need him to live and stay close to me… I don't know why though…" Rachel answered honestly. She trusted every person in the car to keep her secrets. She never hid anything from her father anyway.
"Is it love?" Lukas asked in a concerned tone that didn't escape Klaus or his father.
"I don't know… I don't think so…Not yet… But I mean…he is so much older than me… Even if it is some kind of love at first sight or the Twilight kind of 'Imprinting', it would probably grow to become love later, when I reach an age closer to his right?" Rachel said wisely.
"Yes, probably…" Klaus answered truthfully.
"Don't worry daddy, you will always be the number one man in my life!" Rachel said as she put her head on his shoulder.
"Well, you're right Rachel… take you time…You don't need to involve yourself in any kind of long term engagement with someone you don't know right away… You have all the time in the world!" Lukas said in a serious tone. Klaus snickered and decided to tempt the teen that he knew loved his daughter in a more than friendship way:
"I don't know, I kind of like Damon… he reminds me of myself… He is redeemable…" Klaus said honestly and watched from the corner of his eyes as Lukas paled.
Later that day, Rachel was in her room. She had just gotten out of the shower when she heard the other arriving. She noted that Stefan and Damon were also with them and smiled at the thought of being able to see the blue eyed vampire again. She pressed herself against the door to hear more and was happy when her father talked politely with Damon. She also let out a relieved breath when they dropped a heavy weight on the floor. She listened:
"No stakes to the heart?" She heard her daddy ask with surprise in his voice.
"Nope, the bitch got her heart pulls out." Damon said and Rachel could almost hear the smile in his voice.
She was about to open the door to get out of her room and join them in the living room when she realised that she was still in her pink fluffy towel. Turning around, she went to her walk-in closet and grabbed one of her prettiest knee length dress. She then went back into her bathroom to blow dry her hair and decided to let them free and slightly curly. When she was done, she opened her door and descended the stairs, being her usual silent self.
When she entered the room, every vampire in the room had a glass of blood or scotch in their hands. As soon as she stepped in, Lukas and her father raised their heads since they were facing her. Damon then turned around, as did the others. They were all looking at her and she said:
"So, I'm fine… Thanks to all of you! Thank you, really." She said, looking them all in the eyes one by one.
"Are you sure that you're okay? Maybe you should just lie down for a while!" Lukas said, throwing angry looks at Damon when he said:
"Of course she's okay. Come sit with us. It's time Stefan and I finally met you officially!"
Rachel gave him her famous heart warming bright smile and went to seat in the same sofa as her father, between Lukas and him, facing Damon.
"I hope my heavy bleeding earlier didn't accommodate you Stefan, I know you're still struggling with your control and I would hate to be the one to send you over the edge!" Rachel said, looking with honest concern toward her aunt boyfriend.
"Don't worry it was the test I needed to know I could manage!" The kind Salvatore answered her with a soft smile. He was touched by her concern.
"Damon, I understand you're the one who ended Katerina. I hope she didn't injure you while doing so." Rachel was warming his cold heart even more and he felt that he wouldn't be able to be with another girl until he had her.
"He's fine, sadly…" Lukas muttered as Damon smiled back at her and said:
"Don't worry Rachel, I'm perfectly fine. It's you we were all worried about!" He answered her with a smile nobody had seen since Katerina decided to mess with his brother and him.
They talked some more until Rachel's cell phone started to ring. She took it from the table and squealed:
"It's Noah daddy! I'll be right back!" She said as she ran out of the living room and into the garden to answer it.
"Say Hi for me Princess!" Klaus yelled back as she answered an "Okay, I will." from afar.
"Who is Noah?" Damon asked, a strange feeling rising in his chest.
"Why, you' jealous?" Lukas asked the blue eyed vampire.
Unfortunately, it was obvious to everyone that he was just as jealous himself.
"Noah Puckerman is a childhood friend of Rachel's. They keep in touch regularly. He is quite a nice fellow… I personally think he would be a good match for my angel… But she's one of the only people he lets call him Noah, he likes to be called Puck. He's a little lost though... he need manly guidance in his life..." Klaus said, watching with high amusement as the younger Martin and the older Salvatore pales slightly.
"I thought she was 'just a friend' Lukas?" Doctor Martin asked his son, sharing the hybrid's amusement.
"Well, she's my best friend… I have to protect her…" Lukas said, blushing too much for a boy his age to admit.
"Yes, I see you did such a good job of it today!" Rebecca commented before looking at the others and adding "I'm team Damon" like it was explaining everything.
"Me too." Stefan said.
"I'm team Puck!" Kol said.
"I'm team Lukas!" Elijah said.
"I'm team Damon!" Sage announced.
"I'm team Puck!" Finn said.
"I'm team Lukas!" Glinda said.
"Well, we have a tie!" Klaus said cheerfully as Doctor Martin laughed with him.
A few minutes later, when Rachel came back in the room, she looked very happy.
"So, what did Puck want Princess?" Klaus asked her as she came back to seat next to him.
"He was worried because I didn't call him like I should have this morning… I told him I was out with you and had forgotten my cell at home. I think he bought it, I'm a pretty good liar!" Rachel said.
"Just what every father likes to hear!" Klaus said, chuckling.
"I would never lie to you daddy, you know that!" Rachel said scandalised.
"Of course I know baby." Klaus said while hugging her close to his side.
"What else did he have to say?" Lukas asked with a hint of jealousy in his voice.
"Oh, the usual… His mother insists that he dates a Jewish girl and he keeps on dating that awful Santana Lopez… I told him she was just using him for status but he said he didn't mind being used that way… Also he got a summer job cleaning pools…He is excited because of all the cougars in town…" Rachel said, sounding disapproving.
The day kept on going this way until the Martin's left and Rachel went to bed. The Salvatore decided to stay the night and would leave again in the morning so they could get settled in the boarding house in Mystic Falls. They had to deal with Zach and make sure he was okay with them staying there… Not like he had a choice… It was still their house before it was his…
Damon had a serious talk with Klaus, explaining that he understood Rachel needed to grow up some more before he acted on his feelings for her and Klaus felt better.
While this was happening, in New York Shelby Corcoran got home from a long day of auditioning and listened to her answering machine. When she heard the message from Katerina, she smiled. She was going to see her baby girl. Turning on her computer, she looked for a suitable job near the town of Mystic Falls, or better, in the town. She found an add from a rival school of Mystic falls high saying they needed a vocal coach for their glee club. Looking under it, she saw another add from Mystic Falls high stating they needed a drama teacher. Without really knowing why she made that choice, she chose the rivalling school. Smiling to herself, she could breathe better for some reason…
"Rachel, here I come…" she whispered before calling her agent and telling him she was withdrawing herself from the auditions she had. She was certain she would get the job. She was perfect for it. Seriously, who better than a Broadway star to coach a rising glee club?
In her bedroom, Rachel woke up with a start… she felt emotional pain coming her way… She was scarred and hugged her fluffy star shaped pillow for comfort as she went back to sleep.
So, what do you think of this one?
THANK YOU for all the nice people who reviewed last chapter... THANK YOU to all my readers and reviewers.
So, what team are you? Team Damon? Team Lukas? Team Puck?
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NEXT CHAPTER: Mystic Falls (season 1 of TVD basically...with quite a few adjustments...)
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Lorelei Candice Black
