Chapter Twenty: Mother in Law and Father in Law

"Have you seen this young man?" Elena asked the lady at the post office as she held up a small portrait of Jeremy Gilbert. It was an old portrait, Jeremy had been twelve when the portrait had been painted. Jeremy had changed a lot since then, but it was the only portrait that Elena had of him. Photography had started to make it's way towards the west, but it was still too expensive and Elena had relied on portraits.

The lady squinted her eyes as she adjusted her glasses, she must have been 90 and Elena wondered how she was even alive. The lady squinted a little. "Well, I'm not sure dear, we don't have many young men around here. Did you say that his name was James?"

"No," Elena said impatiently. "His name is Jeremy Gilbert. This portrait was painted a few years ago. Please, Mrs. Young, I need you to think very hard, did you see anyone named Jeremy Gilbert recently? Did you see him or hear his name at least?"

Mrs. Young seemed exhausted and it was clear to Damon that she didn't know her own name let alone who Jeremy was. It didn't help that Elena was pestering this poor woman. "Thank you, Mrs. Young." Damon said as he gripped Elena's hips as he practically dragged her away from the post office. "You didn't even let me finish." Elena said irritated.

"That's because she didn't know anything." Damon said flatly. So far they had searched the post office, the bakery, the local store, the school house and nothing and Damon was starting to think that the entire thing was a hoax. Of course if that was true then that would break Elena's heart. "Look, how about we rest for a few hours. You hardly slept last night, you need a nap."

"I don't." Elena said irritably.

"Yes, you do. You are putting everyone in a bad mood, including me. We'll find your brother, Elena." Damon sincerely doubted it, but he didn't want to tell her that especially when she was in a mood. Damon led her towards the hotel so that both of them could get some rest.

"Mother," Katherine blinked twice, she could hardly believe that her mother was there standing in front of her. Mrs. Pierce burst into tears as she hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "Oh, my darling. Oh my darling, Katerina."

"Mother," Katherine said again, hardly believing that the words were leaving her tongue. "What are you doing here?"

"We came here for you," her father said, his accent thick. "Your mother missed you, we have thought of your exile as over."

How nice of you, Katherine couldn't help, but think bitterly. She was glad to see her mother, not so glad to see her father. She had been sure that she would never see them again, especially after her father had thrown her out of the house when he had found out that she had been pregnant out of wedlock.

"How did you find me?"

"We send telegrams to local banks," Mr. Pierce said with a shrug as if Katherine were an idiot. "We finally found a bank account under your name, Katherine Pierce. What have you've been doing in terms of work, Katherine?"

Katherine flushed, slightly ashamed. If she told her parents that she was a prostitute turned waitress they would disown her and never look at her again. As much as she hated her father, she couldn't bear it being disown from them for the second time. Besides she worried about her poor mother's health.

Katherine was about to respond that she was a former whore, after all they would find out from the gossipy town people, but before she could say anything Elijah interrupter." She's my receptionist," Elijah said coolly. He was moving them forward, slowly towards the outside of the store, away from the prying eyes of the townspeople. "And my fiancée, we are to be married Mr. and Mrs. Pierce. I'm Elijah Mikaelson, the town doctor."

"Married," Mr. Pierce let out a sharp laugh, they were finally outside and Katherine was glad for small miracles. At least no one would be subject to her humiliation, not that she had much pride left as the town whore. "You are going to marry her, she's no better than a good for nothing slut!"

Mrs. Pierce gasped as she slapped her husband on the shoulder and Katherine lowered her eyes, ashamed. "Please, oh doctor please forgive my husband."

"He needs to know the truth," he said, as he looked at his wife filled with disgust. "He needs to know who he is marrying. Did you know that she had an affair before being wed and that she lost a bastard child?"

"He knows," Katherine said coldly. "He also knows that for the past few months I've been working as a prostitute in order to survive." She looked at him. "And if he still wants to marry me I will be very glad to be his wife." She looked at Elijah for clarification and he nodded.

"Have you no shame?" her father snapped. "You proudly declare yourself a whore, you are beyond saving. You are no longer my daughter." He grabbed his wife's hand.

"Katerina, oh Katerina." Her mother hiccupped. Katherine kissed her mother softly on the cheek. "Goodbye, mother."

"I win again!" Caroline squealed as she dropped her cards in the bar stool that sat in front of her and Klaus. This had been the fourth game that they had played and Caroline had won all of them.

Klaus had been in jail for two days, though to Caroline it felt like an eternity. They were still trying to find clues to prove Klaus' innocence though they had not found anything yet. Luke was kind enough to let Caroline visit so, they usually played mindless card games until it was time to return to work at the saloon.

"Caroline," Klaus looked up, he looked exhausted. "When I get out of jail. . .I want us to get married in a church. I love you, Caroline and I know you don't feel the same, but I needed to let you know."

Caroline looked at him with big blue eyes and Klaus was almost sure that she was going to reject him, but she didn't. She caressed his face and whispered. "I think I love you too and I will marry you." She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips.

-End of Chapter Twenty-

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