p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Ch.1: Help and Understanding/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was a dismal night, as a human Kat lay on what felt like grass and dirt. She'd gone to a prison world after she'd been forced out of Elena's body and had died in her human body. Said prison world had a psychotic Gemini witch. She'd found the ascendant and after yet another battle with him, had gotten the hell out of dodge with it. Now, as she slowly sat up, a hand on the bark of a nearby tree to help herself, all she saw were woods. She knew the woods in Mystic Falls and the Bayou in New Orleans. These woods didn't belong to either place. She didn't know where she was for the first time in a long time. That wasn't good news, since she'd gotten hurt in her battle with Kai. She wasn't Freya Mikaelson or Regina who could heal. She was descended from Travelers, but that didn't help any when she didn't know everything. Nadia hadn't had enough time to teach her everything when it came to being descended from Travelers. The one thing she knew she had to do though, was she had to find something to try and slow the bleeding before it got worst. But considering how the woods looked and how weak she felt, she didn't think she'd be finding anything that could help her. She had to try, though. If she could keep herself from dying, she could find someone that could tell her where she was and how to get home. Storybrooke, Mystic Falls, New Orleans. Anywhere that wasn't that prison world or here. Some place familiar to her./p
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p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEventually, she found her way out of the woods and found some cloth she could use to help herself not bleed to death. She was still weak, though. And as she continued to walk, she found herself entering what she recognized as a village. Since she'd been through hell and didn't know where she was, she entered a pub and got a small cup of something to drink. It wasn't Bourbon, but it would due for her. And as she finished drinking, sitting alone, she spotted someone looking at her that wasn't alone. That's when she really got to looking at the kind of people that were in this pub. She remembered as a vampire in Storybrooke almost four years ago, Regina and them talking so much about the Enchanted Forest. She knew there were people as well as all kinds of creatures there. And considering pirates in the real world didn't exist anymore, and since the people here mostly looked to be pirates, she realized where she was./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe finished her drink and, with an arm around her lower stomach she'd taken care of the best she could, got up and left. Then she used her free hand to help her walk in a direction away from the pub, but that she knew she hadn't already come from. She knew she needed help, but the only people she trusted right now were elsewhere. And she was smart enough not to come up to a pirate, fairytale or not, asking for help. She didn't know what they were really like, but she could only assume how horrible they could be./p
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p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAbout fifteen minutes later, still walking through the village, a hand on each building to keep herself going, she heard a voice from behind her, but half a distance away. It made her stop in her tracks. She hadn't thought anyone had noticed her, since she hadn't spoken to anyone really. Apparently, she'd gotten the attention of someone, though./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You look lost, luv. Maybe I could be of assistance of some kind. I can tell you're not from around here."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe heard the sound of boots and looked over to see him approach. Anyone that said anything remotely like this some place else would've been considered creepy, but not here. Especially, when he was closer. From the fact that she saw he only had one hand, she knew exactly who he had to be. Captain Hook./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You're right. I'm definitely not from around here. But if you could direct me in the direction of my way out of this world, I'll see myself out," she asked of him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That's easier said than done. You need a magic bean for that, which I don't currently have in my possession. But I can help you get it. And get home."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe stood at her side and put a hand on her arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What's the catch?" she inquired./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"No catch. I want nothing in return," he replied. Then he noticed her state. "You're injured," he then stated./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It happened in what you might call a dimension of sorts. I left a psycho there to rot. He's not getting out of there," she explained./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you allow me, I can help you. You just need to come with me to me ship," he replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I usually have trust issues, but in this situation, I'll take you up on your offer," she agreed./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe put an arm around her, which she allowed, and they soon had boarded his Jolly Roger ship./p
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p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAfter she'd been properly tended to by him, which she was impressed at him knowing this stuff as a pirate, she decided she should get to know him some more. After all, he was being kind to her. Not in the way that Elijah would be, but maybe in a way she'd imagine Enzo would. She hadn't seen him since she'd had to leave him to keep him from becoming a possible victim to Klaus' torment for her centuries ago. It was the least she could do. It wasn't like she could offer much of anything./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"So, Captain Hook, huh?" she commented./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Aye. That's me. Killian Jones."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe gave a smile at his answer, before telling him, "Katherine Pierce. I have more than one name, too. I go by Katherine now. Have for quite a few centuries. Long ago though, I was Katerina Petrova. Then tragedy came into my life. I had to change my name, but I wanted to keep some form of my born name, so I decided to name myself Katherine. I was running from someone that was once a monster. Now, he's changed. I don't have to run anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Tragedy after tragedy has been in my life as well. Since then, I've wanted my revenge. I've been searching for a way to kill the Dark One once I find a way to this new land I've heard so much about."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"The Dark One? Rumpelstiltskin?" she inquired, and suddenly put two and two together./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Aye. You've heard of him?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I have. And I might have been to that place you call a new land. The name of it is Storybrooke. Regina created it when she was still the Evil Queen. I don't know why or what you need revenge on, but we can work together to go there."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"He took my hand and killed Mila, someone I loved. That's my reason for my revenge," he informed her. "I'd appreciate the help if you're willing. My question is can I trust you? You could say I have trust issues meself. I've been double crossed by before."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sorry for what you went through. I know what it's like to watch someone you love die in front of you. My daughter was killed not that long ago. You can trust me. I promise you that. We'll go to Storybrooke, but considering I've changed somewhat, I'm not going to help you get your vengeance. It took me over 500 years to figure out that vengeance just makes you waste your whole life," she replied and informed him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe understood, so he was willing to trust her, trusting that she'd stick to her word that he could trust her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Then you have my word that you can trust me, as well. Let's find us a magic bean and get to this new land. Shall we? Just the two of us."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe got to his feet./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Sounds like a plan to me," she replied, assuming that like Elijah in some ways, his word could be trusted./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe offered his hand to help her up, in which she allowed, and put her hand in his to let him help her. Him being a gentleman reminded her so much of the early days with her first epic love, Elijah. Who knew that a pirate wasn't always so brutal. She'd been right when she'd assumed he was better company than others. Any other pirate probably would've tried their hand with her if she couldn't offer anything material that was of value. And she'd known enough brutality in her long life that she didn't want to end up with more experience of it. First her own father growing up. Then what Klaus had done to her entire village. And what he'd done to her greatest protection during her human life. Her mother. Everything else, she understood. He'd been quite an angry person back then, so her running was like betrayal to him. But now he had a kid. She was sure he wasn't fully like that anymore. If her daughter could change her somewhat, than his could, too. After all, after all these centuries of trying to hunt her down, they were way too much alike./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was a dismal night, as a human Kat lay on what felt like grass and dirt. She'd gone to a prison world after she'd been forced out of Elena's body and had died in her human body. Said prison world had a psychotic Gemini witch. She'd found the ascendant and after yet another battle with him, had gotten the hell out of dodge with it. Now, as she slowly sat up, a hand on the bark of a nearby tree to help herself, all she saw were woods. She knew the woods in Mystic Falls and the Bayou in New Orleans. These woods didn't belong to either place. She didn't know where she was for the first time in a long time. That wasn't good news, since she'd gotten hurt in her battle with Kai. She wasn't Freya Mikaelson or Regina who could heal. She was descended from Travelers, but that didn't help any when she didn't know everything. Nadia hadn't had enough time to teach her everything when it came to being descended from Travelers. The one thing she knew she had to do though, was she had to find something to try and slow the bleeding before it got worst. But considering how the woods looked and how weak she felt, she didn't think she'd be finding anything that could help her. She had to try, though. If she could keep herself from dying, she could find someone that could tell her where she was and how to get home. Storybrooke, Mystic Falls, New Orleans. Anywhere that wasn't that prison world or here. Some place familiar to her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEventually, she found her way out of the woods and found some cloth she could use to help herself not bleed to death. She was still weak, though. And as she continued to walk, she found herself entering what she recognized as a village. Since she'd been through hell and didn't know where she was, she entered a pub and got a small cup of something to drink. It wasn't Bourbon, but it would due for her. And as she finished drinking, sitting alone, she spotted someone looking at her that wasn't alone. That's when she really got to looking at the kind of people that were in this pub. She remembered as a vampire in Storybrooke almost four years ago, Regina and them talking so much about the Enchanted Forest. She knew there were people as well as all kinds of creatures there. And considering pirates in the real world didn't exist anymore, and since the people here mostly looked to be pirates, she realized where she was./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe finished her drink and, with an arm around her lower stomach she'd taken care of the best she could, got up and left. Then she used her free hand to help her walk in a direction away from the pub, but that she knew she hadn't already come from. She knew she needed help, but the only people she trusted right now were elsewhere. And she was smart enough not to come up to a pirate, fairytale or not, asking for help. She didn't know what they were really like, but she could only assume how horrible they could be./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAbout fifteen minutes later, still walking through the village, a hand on each building to keep herself going, she heard a voice from behind her, but half a distance away. It made her stop in her tracks. She hadn't thought anyone had noticed her, since she hadn't spoken to anyone really. Apparently, she'd gotten the attention of someone, though./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You look lost, luv. Maybe I could be of assistance of some kind. I can tell you're not from around here."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe heard the sound of boots and looked over to see him approach. Anyone that said anything remotely like this some place else would've been considered creepy, but not here. Especially, when he was closer. From the fact that she saw he only had one hand, she knew exactly who he had to be. Captain Hook./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You're right. I'm definitely not from around here. But if you could direct me in the direction of my way out of this world, I'll see myself out," she asked of him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That's easier said than done. You need a magic bean for that, which I don't currently have in my possession. But I can help you get it. And get home."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe stood at her side and put a hand on her arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What's the catch?" she inquired./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"No catch. I want nothing in return," he replied. Then he noticed her state. "You're injured," he then stated./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It happened in what you might call a dimension of sorts. I left a psycho there to rot. He's not getting out of there," she explained./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you allow me, I can help you. You just need to come with me to me ship," he replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I usually have trust issues, but in this situation, I'll take you up on your offer," she agreed./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe put an arm around her, which she allowed, and they soon had boarded his Jolly Roger ship./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAfter she'd been properly tended to by him, which she was impressed at him knowing this stuff as a pirate, she decided she should get to know him some more. After all, he was being kind to her. Not in the way that Elijah would be, but maybe in a way she'd imagine Enzo would. She hadn't seen him since she'd had to leave him to keep him from becoming a possible victim to Klaus' torment for her centuries ago. It was the least she could do. It wasn't like she could offer much of anything./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"So, Captain Hook, huh?" she commented./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Aye. That's me. Killian Jones."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe gave a smile at his answer, before telling him, "Katherine Pierce. I have more than one name, too. I go by Katherine now. Have for quite a few centuries. Long ago though, I was Katerina Petrova. Then tragedy came into my life. I had to change my name, but I wanted to keep some form of my born name, so I decided to name myself Katherine. I was running from someone that was once a monster. Now, he's changed. I don't have to run anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Tragedy after tragedy has been in my life as well. Since then, I've wanted my revenge. I've been searching for a way to kill the Dark One once I find a way to this new land I've heard so much about."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"The Dark One? Rumpelstiltskin?" she inquired, and suddenly put two and two together./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Aye. You've heard of him?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I have. And I might have been to that place you call a new land. The name of it is Storybrooke. Regina created it when she was still the Evil Queen. I don't know why or what you need revenge on, but we can work together to go there."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"He took my hand and killed Mila, someone I loved. That's my reason for my revenge," he informed her. "I'd appreciate the help if you're willing. My question is can I trust you? You could say I have trust issues meself. I've been double crossed by before."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sorry for what you went through. I know what it's like to watch someone you love die in front of you. My daughter was killed not that long ago. You can trust me. I promise you that. We'll go to Storybrooke, but considering I've changed somewhat, I'm not going to help you get your vengeance. It took me over 500 years to figure out that vengeance just makes you waste your whole life," she replied and informed him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe understood, so he was willing to trust her, trusting that she'd stick to her word that he could trust her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Then you have my word that you can trust me, as well. Let's find us a magic bean and get to this new land. Shall we? Just the two of us."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe got to his feet./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Sounds like a plan to me," she replied, assuming that like Elijah in some ways, his word could be trusted./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe offered his hand to help her up, in which she allowed, and put her hand in his to let him help her. Him being a gentleman reminded her so much of the early days with her first epic love, Elijah. Who knew that a pirate wasn't always so brutal. She'd been right when she'd assumed he was better company than others. Any other pirate probably would've tried their hand with her if she couldn't offer anything material that was of value. And she'd known enough brutality in her long life that she didn't want to end up with more experience of it. First her own father growing up. Then what Klaus had done to her entire village. And what he'd done to her greatest protection during her human life. Her mother. Everything else, she understood. He'd been quite an angry person back then, so her running was like betrayal to him. But now he had a kid. She was sure he wasn't fully like that anymore. If her daughter could change her somewhat, than his could, too. After all, after all these centuries of trying to hunt her down, they were way too much alike./p