p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Ch.3: Save Me From Myself/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat entered an alley, where she saw her ex feeding viciously on some stranger. It was daytime./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Aren't you supposed to be the noble one? You appear to be acting just like your brother. I heard about what happened, and I'm sorry."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe began to approach./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe turned to look at her after he'd killed the human he'd been feeding upon./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I spent a thousand years fighting to keep my humanity, whilst trying to save them from themselves. I think I deserve a little time without emotions. Don't you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You deserve time alone, yes. I'd be happy to let you live without your humanity for a time, but not when you're causing chaos. Let me help you. I'll be at your side as long as you'll allow me to be. We can go off together like I once asked to do with you. Like what we used to fantasize about centuries ago. Remember?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That was centuries ago. I don't live in the past anymore. Now, why don't you leave," he demanded of her. He couldn't feel the love he had for her anymore with his humanity off, but he wouldn't hurt her unless he had to./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Elijah, you spent over 500 years loving and protecting me. You wanted me to let you in once, long ago. It's your turn to let me in, now. Please," she reminded him. "You walked away before. Don't walk away again. I'm reaching out, despite how you left last time. Don't disappoint me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you continue this, you'll be leaving with more than disappointment," he threatened her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know you can't feel it, but I know you still love me, somewhere deep down, despite no emotions. Why won't you just let me in?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"There are things even you shouldn't know, Katerina," he replied. He still remembered when he'd killed Tatia, accident or not, and he wouldn't, even in his emotionless state, do the same to Katerina. He wouldn't be able to live with himself, even if he did turn it on./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe put a hand on his arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What happened to us? We used to talk about everything. You're keeping secrets now?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's for the best," he replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe took her hand off his arm. Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the alley./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe sighed. If he was going to be this stubborn towards her, then she needed another plan./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe felt a presence and turned to see the blonde that had save her life recently./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, that went well," she commented to Katherine./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Not my finest hour, but at least he still has the will not to hurt me when I get on his nerves. Maybe if you can, tell me everything that happened. It might help me with bringing him back to sanity. And help me figure out another plan. I don't want to treat him like we would a normal run of the mill no emotions attached vampire."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you insist, I think I'm gonna need a drink," she replied to the ex-vampiress./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat agreed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAfter a very long catching up on everything that she'd missed and the details surrounding her former enemy's death, she knew there was a lot to work out. She'd hated him for longer than she probably should have, but she still hoped that he found peace. And maybe after all of this was over, she'd find his kid and help in any way she could. After all, she knew what it was like to lose almost your entire family. The only difference was her father had turned into someone that no one could love anymore. Her mother had protected her from all his drunk and hurtful nights. With Hope though, she assumed she'd loved both of her parents, no matter what. Right now though, her main goal was to get Elijah's humanity back on. Since it appeared that he still didn't want to hurt her, that had to mean he didn't want anything to happen to her. And so, an idea came to her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"How far away can Freya use magic? He's feeding on humans anyways, so maybe an illusion will bring him out of this rock bottom pit he's digging himself. I won't get hurt in reality, but he'll think it's me he hurt."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Sounds like a promising plan," Rebekah replied, as they sat at the bar still. "It's your plan. You can call Freya and tell her," she replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat agreed. And so, the plan began./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEventually, the plan was put into motion. When he fed, he thought it was Katerina, which forced his humanity back on. The real Kat was there when it happened, though./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThat night in New Orleans at the compound, he stood at a door to a balcony that was open, drinking a shot glass of Bourbon. Lucky for him, it had been an illusion. He never wanted to hurt her. She was his greatest love next to Tatia. If he'd hurt her, or worse, he couldn't bare to try to continue existing. There was no world without his Katerina. Leaving her was one thing. Actually hurting her was another thing completely./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat approached him through his dark bedroom and went to stand at his right side, leaning against the threshold of the open balcony door. She then looked at him, arms crossed./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Rebekah finally gave me all of the details after our first meet up. I'm sorry. He'll be missed. I'm not that great at comforting anyone, but it'll get better. I never had siblings, but I know what it's like to lose someone close. You might remember his slaughter spree in Bulgaria. I was close to my mother. It took a long time and some encouragement from Pearl and her daughter, mostly Pearl, to turn it on after that and deal with her death," she informed him and tried her best to help. "In time, it'll get easier. And next time someone close to you dies, do me a favor. Keep your humanity on. I don't want to have to play hero if you do that again," she added and suggested him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe finally looked over at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sorry, Katerina. Klaus was a part of it, but not all of it. When Hope's mother sacrificed herself, it was too much. I had no memories at the time, so I didn't try and save her. I felt after my memories returned to me that it was my fault. I didn't try to save her. Even Hope hated me. She probably still does."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You loved her," she realized. Rebekah hadn't told her that part of the details./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I still do, but despite what I feel, you'll always be above anyone else that I love," he replied, figuring he probably needed to let her know that despite his love for Hayley, he would always love her, no matter what./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know. I'm just a little surprised," she replied and admitted to him. Then to get off the topic, she asked, "So, are you ready to spill your secrets you've been keeping?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe finished his shot glass and then set it down on a nearby table. He then looked at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's only one secret, but I didn't know this until a few years ago. There was a time that our mother resurrected herself and held me prisoner. She thought making our family whole meant putting us all in the bodies of witches. She needed us to give her permission, so she did things. She put me under a spell and made me remember."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Remember what?" she inquired. She knew their mother had been a bitch every single time she'd been alive or resurrected, so she knew to expect a lot when it came to her. She thought of her children as monsters, when in reality, she'd been the one to make them vampires. That had made them into nightmares for most humans./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm the one that killed Tatia. Not our mother. She was already dead when I brought her to our mother. That's not the only thing that haunted me, though. She told me to leave the memory behind the red door. Since then, as a vampire, I kept unwanted memories behind it. Every person I've hurt or killed I just forgot about for a thousand years," he explained to her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I can only imagine how many," she replied. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I didn't ask in the alley how you're human. Did you take the cure after I left?" he wanted to know./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It was shoved down my throat by Elena. I figured she was at least half responsible for you leaving, and I took it out on her. I was so angry that I tried to kill her, so she shoved it down my throat. I didn't know it was in her pocket, or that she even had it. I guess Damon must've given it to her. I know he wanted it for her. Now, he gets to be happy and live a life without me around, and I get to be human. I don't know if I can digest blood or not, so I haven't even tried to turn back. Instead, I worked with Freya for this amulet around my neck. As long as I wear this, I won't age. But I can still die. Hopefully, not anytime soon, though," she informed him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, if you want a real place to stay, Katerina, you can stay here. I'll protect you, wherever you want to go. We can stay here, or we can leave this city behind. My siblings will let me know if they ever need me," he offered./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe gave a smile at that./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'd love that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAfter a few minutes, they began to kiss./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat entered an alley, where she saw her ex feeding viciously on some stranger. It was daytime./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Aren't you supposed to be the noble one? You appear to be acting just like your brother. I heard about what happened, and I'm sorry."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe began to approach./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe turned to look at her after he'd killed the human he'd been feeding upon./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I spent a thousand years fighting to keep my humanity, whilst trying to save them from themselves. I think I deserve a little time without emotions. Don't you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You deserve time alone, yes. I'd be happy to let you live without your humanity for a time, but not when you're causing chaos. Let me help you. I'll be at your side as long as you'll allow me to be. We can go off together like I once asked to do with you. Like what we used to fantasize about centuries ago. Remember?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That was centuries ago. I don't live in the past anymore. Now, why don't you leave," he demanded of her. He couldn't feel the love he had for her anymore with his humanity off, but he wouldn't hurt her unless he had to./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Elijah, you spent over 500 years loving and protecting me. You wanted me to let you in once, long ago. It's your turn to let me in, now. Please," she reminded him. "You walked away before. Don't walk away again. I'm reaching out, despite how you left last time. Don't disappoint me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you continue this, you'll be leaving with more than disappointment," he threatened her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know you can't feel it, but I know you still love me, somewhere deep down, despite no emotions. Why won't you just let me in?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"There are things even you shouldn't know, Katerina," he replied. He still remembered when he'd killed Tatia, accident or not, and he wouldn't, even in his emotionless state, do the same to Katerina. He wouldn't be able to live with himself, even if he did turn it on./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe put a hand on his arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What happened to us? We used to talk about everything. You're keeping secrets now?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's for the best," he replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe took her hand off his arm. Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the alley./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe sighed. If he was going to be this stubborn towards her, then she needed another plan./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe felt a presence and turned to see the blonde that had save her life recently./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, that went well," she commented to Katherine./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Not my finest hour, but at least he still has the will not to hurt me when I get on his nerves. Maybe if you can, tell me everything that happened. It might help me with bringing him back to sanity. And help me figure out another plan. I don't want to treat him like we would a normal run of the mill no emotions attached vampire."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you insist, I think I'm gonna need a drink," she replied to the ex-vampiress./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat agreed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAfter a very long catching up on everything that she'd missed and the details surrounding her former enemy's death, she knew there was a lot to work out. She'd hated him for longer than she probably should have, but she still hoped that he found peace. And maybe after all of this was over, she'd find his kid and help in any way she could. After all, she knew what it was like to lose almost your entire family. The only difference was her father had turned into someone that no one could love anymore. Her mother had protected her from all his drunk and hurtful nights. With Hope though, she assumed she'd loved both of her parents, no matter what. Right now though, her main goal was to get Elijah's humanity back on. Since it appeared that he still didn't want to hurt her, that had to mean he didn't want anything to happen to her. And so, an idea came to her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"How far away can Freya use magic? He's feeding on humans anyways, so maybe an illusion will bring him out of this rock bottom pit he's digging himself. I won't get hurt in reality, but he'll think it's me he hurt."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Sounds like a promising plan," Rebekah replied, as they sat at the bar still. "It's your plan. You can call Freya and tell her," she replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat agreed. And so, the plan began./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEventually, the plan was put into motion. When he fed, he thought it was Katerina, which forced his humanity back on. The real Kat was there when it happened, though./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThat night in New Orleans at the compound, he stood at a door to a balcony that was open, drinking a shot glass of Bourbon. Lucky for him, it had been an illusion. He never wanted to hurt her. She was his greatest love next to Tatia. If he'd hurt her, or worse, he couldn't bare to try to continue existing. There was no world without his Katerina. Leaving her was one thing. Actually hurting her was another thing completely./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat approached him through his dark bedroom and went to stand at his right side, leaning against the threshold of the open balcony door. She then looked at him, arms crossed./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Rebekah finally gave me all of the details after our first meet up. I'm sorry. He'll be missed. I'm not that great at comforting anyone, but it'll get better. I never had siblings, but I know what it's like to lose someone close. You might remember his slaughter spree in Bulgaria. I was close to my mother. It took a long time and some encouragement from Pearl and her daughter, mostly Pearl, to turn it on after that and deal with her death," she informed him and tried her best to help. "In time, it'll get easier. And next time someone close to you dies, do me a favor. Keep your humanity on. I don't want to have to play hero if you do that again," she added and suggested him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe finally looked over at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sorry, Katerina. Klaus was a part of it, but not all of it. When Hope's mother sacrificed herself, it was too much. I had no memories at the time, so I didn't try and save her. I felt after my memories returned to me that it was my fault. I didn't try to save her. Even Hope hated me. She probably still does."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You loved her," she realized. Rebekah hadn't told her that part of the details./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I still do, but despite what I feel, you'll always be above anyone else that I love," he replied, figuring he probably needed to let her know that despite his love for Hayley, he would always love her, no matter what./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know. I'm just a little surprised," she replied and admitted to him. Then to get off the topic, she asked, "So, are you ready to spill your secrets you've been keeping?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe finished his shot glass and then set it down on a nearby table. He then looked at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's only one secret, but I didn't know this until a few years ago. There was a time that our mother resurrected herself and held me prisoner. She thought making our family whole meant putting us all in the bodies of witches. She needed us to give her permission, so she did things. She put me under a spell and made me remember."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Remember what?" she inquired. She knew their mother had been a bitch every single time she'd been alive or resurrected, so she knew to expect a lot when it came to her. She thought of her children as monsters, when in reality, she'd been the one to make them vampires. That had made them into nightmares for most humans./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm the one that killed Tatia. Not our mother. She was already dead when I brought her to our mother. That's not the only thing that haunted me, though. She told me to leave the memory behind the red door. Since then, as a vampire, I kept unwanted memories behind it. Every person I've hurt or killed I just forgot about for a thousand years," he explained to her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I can only imagine how many," she replied. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I didn't ask in the alley how you're human. Did you take the cure after I left?" he wanted to know./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It was shoved down my throat by Elena. I figured she was at least half responsible for you leaving, and I took it out on her. I was so angry that I tried to kill her, so she shoved it down my throat. I didn't know it was in her pocket, or that she even had it. I guess Damon must've given it to her. I know he wanted it for her. Now, he gets to be happy and live a life without me around, and I get to be human. I don't know if I can digest blood or not, so I haven't even tried to turn back. Instead, I worked with Freya for this amulet around my neck. As long as I wear this, I won't age. But I can still die. Hopefully, not anytime soon, though," she informed him./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, if you want a real place to stay, Katerina, you can stay here. I'll protect you, wherever you want to go. We can stay here, or we can leave this city behind. My siblings will let me know if they ever need me," he offered./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe gave a smile at that./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'd love that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAfter a few minutes, they began to kiss./p