A/N: And after a long absence- there is the newest chapter!

Thank you to all of you who reviewed. I will be coming back to you this week! My computer is back (not entirely working the way it should be, but I can upload documents again).

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Three, A Bird in her Gilded Cage

On the day of the sacrifice, I got up early, dressing in a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, and my old pair of trainers. I'd spent most of it in a blur of anxiety, ignoring the splintering, blistering headache in the back of my head, and waiting.

I remembered little from the evening before, only broken fragments of nightmares, food, and Klaus and Greta dancing. The latter, I was sure hadn't happened and I'd curled up in the dusty library, flipping through old books.

When Klaus finally came to collect me from the living room I'd remained in all day, I was almost trembling.

We departed shortly after the sun had started its descend. With a remark of 'you're quieter than normal,' — sometimes I really wondered if that man had any sense at all — he all but threw me in the passenger seat of his dark SUV. He drove us back to Mystic Falls with a grin on his face.

Maddox and Greta had settled in the back with the warlock playing an Angry Birds game on his phone in boredom and the witch picking at her glittery nail polish. Both looked unconcerned with the situation while I sat ramrod straight in my seat.

A classic ballad filtered out from the radio speakers and the Original was at ease (and why wouldn't he be, he had everything ready to go), fingers occasionally tapping on the steering wheel in time with the swelling of the violin music, an easy smile grazing his lips.

"So Elena," he started in that the devil may care tone of his, "how are you feeling this day?"

"I've got a bit of a headache," I told him drolly.

"Unsurprising," he smirked, "you drank a tad bit much, didn't you?"

"I feel fine enough, now," I remarked defensively. The headache wasn't that bad.

Klaus' smirk broadened, dimples cutting into his cheeks. "I suppose after I held your hair back while you hurled up every drop of alcohol you consumed, you must feel better."

"You did what?" I whispered and felt my cheeks flush with heat. "I did what?"

"Hm, hm," he agreed, "you don't hold your alcohol well."

My heart skyrocketed and for a moment I could only wallow in shame and self-pity. Then something in his grin tipped me off. "You're— you're lying! I didn't, I—" I flipped him the bird before I thought better of it and he sniggered.

"There she is," he looked in front of him again, "I was already wondering if you became catatonic."

"Jerk."

He grinned and I crossed my arms over my chest and averted my eyes. Of course, he would push my buttons one last time. I shouldn't forget, Klaus thrived on being a big fish in a small pond. We'd passed Roanoke, snowy, white-washed surroundings flashing by. After weeks, I still had no idea how to deal with Klaus.

Klaus wrapped almost every sentence in promises. Klaus was somewhat willing to spare the people Elena was close to, in a way I was close to, even if he hadn't willing to save me. But— I didn't want to think about that. I didn't want to talk about it either—

"Greta, is everything prepared for?"

"Of course," she agreed and from my peripheral vision I noticed her trace her fingers over her charm bracelet. Swallowing my irritation, a truly herculean effort if I may add, I went back to watch the scenery outside of the window.

I didn't want to talk about the sacrifice. Couldn't talk about my death anyway and pressed my lips so tightly together they'd turned white. I tuned their words out and distracted myself by counting trees and looking for red cars. A troublesome task with the quickly darkening sky around me.

Shortly after half-past seven, we crossed Wickery bridge into Mystic Falls, I held my breath. The sign in front of it, the one I'd never noticed before, told me the massive wooded construction that had played a central role in the first four seasons (perhaps in later seasons also, but of that, I couldn't be sure) almost a century ago.

My hands had gotten clammy. Soon we would leave the bustling part of Mystic Falls behind us and I would be surrounded by a ring of fire at the bottom of the quarry. Elena Gilbert was supposed to die among Jenna and Werewolf Jules. At least I hoped that would have changed. My eyes searched out Klaus, his face half hidden in shadows but his eyes eerily alight.

"You promised, didn't you?" I whispered because I had to hear him say it again. I had to.

"Yes, we've covered that, haven't we?" He retorted drolly.

That wasn't really enough, but— Pushing him had never ended well in the show. Wetting my lips, I stared out at the night's darkened landscape.

"I've waited so long for this moment," he mentioned and I turned to look at him again.

"Right, for over a thousand years."

"Yes," he agreed, looking pleased again, "one of these days, Elena, you should explain to me how you know so much."

I inhaled sharply. "You won't believe me," I answered off-handedly, forcing my back to relax into the cushion of the car seat. "I'm not even sure if everything I know even adds up anymore."

"Hm," he hummed, "so far you were right."

"Yeah," I agreed softly, "so far I was right."

He parked the car a block away from the Grill (I recognized the shop windows) and I frowned. I could only imagine the broadening of the search for me and parking the car almost in front of the police station seemed bold, if not a bit stupid.

"Why are we here?" I asked slowly.

"The humans need to eat, don't they?" He asked, at least doing me the courtesy to not pretend he didn't understand me. "I'd come to realize I should keep you humans fed if I want you healthy."

"But people will see me," I said stupidly.

"The wonder of compelling." He remarked drolly.

"Right," I mumbled and as the two witches clambered out of the car, I remained seated. "I could also wait here. That would probably be even better. No compulsion needed that way."

"Out, my lovely Doppelgänger," he smirked and leaned past me to open the passenger door.

"But—"

"Out. What is the fun of not pushing a few people's buttons?"

"Those people will try to stop you. You gave me your word. You said wouldn't harm them."

"And I won't," he grinned, "now play along, Elena."

When I stepped out of the car, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, looking for all intents and purposes like a boyfriend chaperoning his girlfriend around and I felt incredibly self-conscious.

He seemed to know his way around, navigating through the snow-covered streets, wet snowflakes brushing against my cheeks. I clutched my coat close to my chest, much like a security blanket. The banner of the Grill doomed up in the semi-darkness and I clenched my teeth.

"This isn't a good idea."

"Of course, it is," Greta smiled and I felt a shudder run through me, "I'd think you would want to see one of your loved ones…"

"Yeah," I mumbled, thinking about my parents. My real parents. "I would have loved to."

The grill was heavily Christmas-themed and the wooden tables gleamed in the Grill's warm orange light. The murmur of so many people was slightly disconcerting after being secluded for those last few weeks and I wrapped my arms even tighter around myself.

My eyes were drawn to the Christmas tree at one side of the Grill and then to the decoration strings hung along the bar.

Vicky Donovan was working the bar, curly hair loosely swaying around her shoulders and her lips stretched into a most painful smile while an elderly couple bickered over what they were going to order.

Absentmindedly, I wondered why she was even allowed to wear her hair down. I'd had a side job as a waitress before. Certainly wasn't allowed to wear my hair loose.

"Yuck, they only have fast food." Greta huffed, tapping one glittery polished nail against the menu.

"No, there's also a chicken salad." The warlock drolly replied and I sniffed.

"I don't really care what we eat. Can't we just order something and get out?"

"Stick in the mud," Greta remarked although Maddox looked as if he wholly agreed with me.

A waiter, a tall blond boy neared our table and smiled pleasantly. "Hi there, can I take your order?"

Greta ordered first, sending her brown curls over one shoulder. "Red wine and I'd like a Caesar salad."

"Hamburger and a beer," Maddox ordered.

"Me too," I mumbled, keeping my eyes firmly on my hands, "a veggie hamburger that is, and a water."

"And you, Sir?" the waiter asked, looking at Klaus who was twirling a coaster around between two long, elegant fingers. He looked up slowly, predatory really, his canines showing as he smiled.

"Ah, yes, I'd like a Bourbon," Klaus drawled, the muscles in his shoulders bunching up, straining against his shirt and I felt a shudder run through me. "I'd also like a

"Klaus—" I mumbled, nails digging into the rough wood of the table, "you don't have to—"

"Don't be difficult, Elena."

"You'd think you get enough blood tonight, as it is." I huffed and Greta let out a laugh.

"She's right about that, you know." She grinned but Klaus ignored her and looked back at the boy.

The waiter's mouth pursed after a few seconds, I suspected the compulsion settled in and nodded robotically. "Of course, I'll be right back with your drinks." He veered away and I looked away, teeth clenching so hard together I almost felt the enamel strip off them.

"That was unnecessary," I muttered furiously.

A smirk curled around the edges of Klaus' mouth and jerked his chin towards the bar. "He'll live sweetheart, could have taken him outside for a walk couldn't I?"

"I'm sure you don't want to ruin the festive atmosphere," Greta said, dropping the menu on the table.

"I'm sure I don't care Luv," Klaus remarked easily and a shrill bell sound distracted him briefly. I watched him pull out his cellphone, eyes skipping over the screen. It took under a second for his eyebrows to furrow and his eyes to narrow to slits. Thumb swiping over the screen, he appeared to be scrolling through a thread of texts that had appeared, and if I had to guess he wasn't happy about them.

My heart leaped in my chest. Perhaps someone had found his werewolf and vampire and had set them free? Perhaps, I would get to live another month.

From my vantage point, hidden behind Elena's long hair, I could tell he was growing more impatient by the second and I felt my shoulders lock together. What the fuck was going on?

"Is something—"

"You've got some irritating friends," Klaus muttered, swiping at his phone and I tried swallowing.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing sweetheart, I'll deal with this."

Before I could reply, he had already pocketed his phone and jerked to his feet. I was already scrambling to my feet as well, but Greta's hand shot out, catching my wrist, restraining me. "Don't Elena!"

"But—"

"He'll keep his word," Maddox grumbled, fingers drumming against the tabletop.

"He'll kill them."

The muscles in Maddox's forearm corded, flexed and his upper lip curled up. "You'd think you have other things to worry about, don't you?"

I glared. However, he wasn't wrong. Besides, I didn't have a chance against Klaus. I could only hope he would not go and rip apart half of the town. Whatever was left of my appetite, was gone now. And somehow that was exactly when the blond waiter boy appeared again, dropping our drinks on the table.

Blood, thick and viscous sloshing in a high stemmed wine glass. Vicky Donovan arrived next, holding onto our dinner. My stomach churned nauseously and I looked away.

"Eat something," Greta ordered.

"Do the other know the sacrifice is tonight?" I asked, wondering why the fuck we were here.

"I'm positive Klaus' brother knows it is a full moon tonight," Greta shrugged picking at her chicken.

"Wonderful," I grumbled. I stabbed my hamburger with my fork toyed with the food. It was one way to pass time. Scraping my knife over my plate, I kept my eyes on my hands.

"God, incompetent is a verb in this town," Klaus hissed, appearing next to the table out of nowhere.

My knife slipped, nicking my finger and I hissed. Greta turned to smile at him, but even her smile fell. "What's wrong?"

"I need you and Maddox to deal with Damon and Stefan Salvatore," he remarked drolly.

"What— No!" I gasped and Klaus waved his hand at me, sitting down again.

"Just incapacitate then. No need to ruffle our Doppelgänger's feathers." He remarked irritatedly, the muscles in his arms and shoulders tense, straining against his shirt. He looked menacing, furious, and then his expression changed. I wasn't familiar enough with him to parse out the nuance of it, but I thought he looked ready to murder the entirety of the Grill.

"I don't understand, what could they possibly have done that made you this upset?" Klaus didn't answer. I wasn't even sure if I expected him to and gripped my wrist, thumb drawing lazy circles over my pulse point. "What are you doing?"

"Eat, Elena, I want to leave quickly."

"I'm not hungry," I whispered.

Klaus shrugged in his devil-may-care-way and dropped money on the tabletop. Far too much, if I may add and for a moment I frowned. No one seemed to be bothered, and almost absentmindedly I extracted some of the money, about to hand it back to Klaus. However, money didn't seem to mean anything to Klaus as he ignored my outstretched hand, and pulled me closer, tucking me into his side.

"Deal with it Greta," he remarked, and then we were gone again. I truly abhorred vampire speed. It was nauseating, it was toe-curling and then he stopped next to his car.

A thick layer of snowy dust had assembled on the hood and roof of the car. For a second I was struck by how beautiful it looked and then the moment was broken. Klaus swiped his forearm along the windscreen and I tranquillity settled in the passenger seat of the car.

Klaus drove us to the edge of the cemetery. He hadn't mentioned we would be going to the church ruins — because of course, we would be visiting old Fell's church in the last few hours of my life — but I knew exactly where we would be heading to. T

he cold winter sunlight barely even reached through the spindly branches of the trees, and I kept my gaze firmly on the forest floor before me. Surprisingly, there was little snow covering the ground and I was glad at least the paths would be passable. Didn't mean I shouldn't keep my eyes on my feet.

It would be just like me to trip over a fucking tree root and break my neck. Although, I probably would come back from that, with the mystical potion in my system and all.

The wind lashed across my face, making me shiver, but Klaus looked unconcerned with the cold. Must be nice having the metabolism of a ferret as well as the heat reservoir of a penguin. I sniggered at that mental description and Klaus looked at me oddly. It was the first expression on his face I had grown used to getting. I was an oddball after all.

"Amused, Sweetheart."

"No," I remarked easily and ducked out beneath a branch, "I just— how are you not cold?"

"Vampires don't notice temperatures, Sweetheart."

"Right, of course," I remarked dryly. How could I forget?

The ground was slippery, the tree canopy so dense that the track was thrown in a deep, dark shade. The leaves, death and whispering, were dank and moist, snagging into my hair. Klaus took a deep turn onto another path, a barely discernible path of the earth and fallen leaves, overgrown with nettles and weeds and I almost fell.

Grumbling I wondered how much further— but the church doomed up in the stark twilight.

"Why—"

"Visiting someone, Luv," he smiled, "I think you will approve."

Somehow, those words made sense to me. In the tomb where vampires could enter, but couldn't get out of. I knew who we would be visiting. I suddenly understood that somehow he'd managed to catch her. Had somehow managed to catch Katherine Pierce and lock her up in the tomb.

I supposed he might even think it was a rather biblical punishment for Katherine. To be desiccated alive in the same town he first fell in love with Tatia, or the same tomb she should have been locked into in the first place.

I pushed my numb hands deeply into the pockets of my winter coat and followed Klaus slowly. He moved with ease, obviously not bothered by the darkness, and I swallowed. He'd moved to the low, mossy wall, probably peering down the narrow steps beneath the church and I cleared my throat.

"Klaus, I can't see." I started. "Can't I just stay here?"

In the last sunlight, Klaus' face looked faintly amused before he dug out his cellphone. Turning the light on, he pushed it into my hands. "There Sweetheart, problem solved."

"Right, thanks," I mumbled and slowly followed Klaus down the flagstone path towards Fell's church. With the entrance still mostly hidden from view, I almost missed the ground suddenly opening up to a pair of spiraling, stone stairs. Klaus didn't, he was already halfway down when I stumbled after him.

The stone room looked the same as it had the last time I'd been here and I held the phone close to my chest. The light trembling on the walls as my fingers shook and I had to breathe several times to control my erratic heart rate.

Every hair on my arms and the back of my neck were standing up and from deep inside, hidden behind the slab of stone hiding the tomb's entrance from me, I could hear the same whispers trying to lure me in. Klaus stepped up to the block of stone, fingers curling around the sides.

When he started pushing it, he didn't seem to break a sweat moving it away from the entrance. Not like Busboy Ben and Noah who'd needed their combined strength to move it.

Grinding aside, the dark gaping tomb was revealed. Klaus slid the stone to the ground on one side of the tomb and I directed the beam of light inside. It looked as grossly as I remembered. Cobwebs fluttered in the light breeze and the dirt floor, lightly disturbed by recent activity.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Klaus singsonged and I flinched.

"Why?" I asked. "What's the point of this? Is she going to be part of the sacrifice?"

"No, Luv, I spent five-hundredth years chasing her. Her death is going to last at least half of that."

"Right," I mumbled, "of course."

It took a moment but then Katherine moved into view. If seeing someone's doppelgänger on a computer screen was strange, then seeing her in real life was even stranger.

Waves of brunette curls spilled over Katherine's shoulders, her face gaunt but a face I knew. A face I'd been seeing every time I'd been looking into the mirror. She was wearing a dusty black jacket, tight-fitting jeans, and a pair of designer boots. Her dark eyes flitted to me.

"Ah, Elena," she croaked, a small smile pulling at her lips.

How could she still smile while being locked up in a magically warded tomb? I squeezed the phone, pointing the beam straight in Katherine's face. The smile never left her face, even when she turned her face to the Original vampire.

"Katerina," Klaus grinned, his hands folded behind his back, "how wonderful you look."

I didn't agree with him on that. Katherine looked horrible, dragging her body up against the stone wall. She was dressed in a dark, formfitting dress, the hem sewed in with lace, but that was the only thing looking lively about her. Her face was gaunt, the hue of her skin almost greenish, cheekbones protruding dangerously beneath her waxy skin. If she'd been human I would have thought she seemed as if she was at death's door.

"Hello Klaus," she croaked, and she smiled my way, lifting her hand and waggling her fingers at me.

"You sound surprisingly chipper, Luv."

"Hm, I'm just watching my carbon copy," she grinned, letting her eyes rove over me leisurely. "Did you enjoy her?"

"She's been a fresh breath of air compared to you," Klaus agreed and I made a furious noise.

"We're not sleeping together— I'm not you, Katherine!" I hissed back, previous jitters forgotten.

"My favorite Doppelgänger is very squeamish about her virtue."

I sniffed furiously and considered chucking the phone at Klaus' head. In the end, I decided against it and settled for flipping him the finger. The Original wasn't faced, his face cocked to one side while licking his lips. I wondered how long I still had. I was sure it couldn't be long.

If the line of his jaw tensing meant anything, I'd say he was anxious. God, why didn't I take longer in playing with my food? I could have gone without the awkward conversation between Klaus and Katherine.

"—But at least you have company, don't you?" Klaus grinned and as if summoned a second figure appeared. The beam of the phone shivered before I managed to land it on the newest arrival's face.

My mouth slacked open when I realized who it was opposite of me. Damon Salvatore, jaw chiseled and skin almost as smooth as I remembered. Coiffed black curls a bit messier than I'd remembered.

"Damon?"

"Reunited with his lover," Klaus grinned.

My mouth drew into a tight line. He wasn't wrong, of course. Damon had pined after Katherine for over a century. Had killed and maimed and had been willing to sacrifice an entire town out of vengeance. I curled my fingers around the hems of my coat.

Was I supposed to say something? Was I supposed to care?

Damon's handsome, angular features were twisted in annoyance. In indignation? Put out by being caught? Furious someone even managed to do that in the first place? I wasn't sure. I averted my eyes, leaning against the wall.

"And you came here to gloat," Damon said, smirking. He never had much sense.

"Hm, I thought you would want to see her face one more time."

Damon made an almost inhuman sound and I flinched. I watched Damon's nostrils flare and Klaus grinned like the Cheshire Cat getting the canary. I couldn't do this anymore. I didn't doubt that this world was twisting me up. I'd like to think I would have tried something.

I'd liked to think would have tried helping Damon even though he didn't really deserve my loyalty, but I could only imagine Klaus' reaction if I did. He would probably be delighted in aggravating me over it and—

I had enough-

Twisting my body away from the sight of the two entombed vampires, I stalked to the stairs. Klaus's laugh hauntingly echoed after me and I exhaled loudly once I'd stumbled out and leaned heavily against one of the moist church walls.

The full moon was out, rising towards its apex. Clouds skated across the crescent, casting strange shadows across the forest floor and I shivered. The foliage swayed in the chilly breeze and pressed my chilly hands between my knees.

"You and Elijah should get on like a house on fire, Luv," Klaus drawled and I froze.

"Why is that?" I whispered, absolutely terrified. I could tell he was right behind me. I wondered if somehow my awareness of him had something to do with him being the predator and me being the prey.

The deer that would soon be murdered over a slab of stone. I wanted to open my mouth and ask why I had to die, but my tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth. I couldn't say anything about it.

"I would call him a pencil licker. I would call you the same."

"I'm not a pencil licker," I huffed.

"You can be quite boring."

"Right," I said and rolled my eyes.

Klaus shot me a smile, holding out his hand. "Shall we go, Luv?"

"I—Right, of course," I murmured.

"That's my girl," he grinned and an arm wrapped around my waist. I didn't fight (what would be the point anyway) and I felt his breath fan out over my ear. "You should probably close your eyes."

"Why?"

"High velocity often makes humans sick," he dryly remarked, and the next moment—

I could only see blurs of grey and when I opened my eyes we were standing before a ring of fire, at the bottom of the quarry. I peered around, noting the circle of fire around a fang-bearing vampire and a groaning and twisting werewolf. I had never seen either of them.

"How come the vampire can't escape?" I asked, and Klaus looked down at me with a frown.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I get how the werewolf can't, but the vampire could just—" I started. It had always boggled me about the show.

"—step over the fire?" He smirked and his fingers twirled up my neck, ghosting over my cheeks before angling my face just right. "Do you see the salt?" He asked and I squinted my eyes at the uniformed circle of white around the fires. "That's a boundary spell, right there."

"Oh," I frowned, somehow that sounded familiar, "I see."

"Hm, yes you do, don't you?" He hummed and let go of my face. "Well, sit tight, my lovely doppelgänger. I'll be with you soon."

I waited, rigid, barely breathing as Klaus moved towards Greta before moving easily into the circle with the werewolf. The dark-skinned witch was moving her arms gracefully around as if directing an orchestra. She'd settled behind the burning fire in the middle of the clearing, chanting, whispering. Maddox was on the other side. I had no idea what he was doing. He hadn't been there the first time around.

Klaus had already moved in the circle surrounding the vampire and I pointedly didn't look as he forced the girl down to the ground, ramming the stake into her chest. I wondered if killing the vampire presented the curse of the sun burning a vampire's skin the way killing a werewolf presented the curse of the moon.

My fingers had started to shake when the fire Greta still stood behind rose in length, wispy smoke curling up towards the sky. The wind gusted slightly and the branches above my head moved. I tried to swallow, but my mouth was too dry. He would come for me next and my body started to tremble.

I pressed my hands tightly between my knees, closing my eyes, and forcefully tried to keep my breathing even. It wouldn't do to have a full-blown panic attack now, but I couldn't alter the feeling of my breath escaping my lungs or the way my heart pressed painfully against my ribcage.

"Are you ready, my dear?" His voice suddenly whispered from beside me.

I couldn't help flinching, before forcing myself to meet his gaze. "No," I responded flatly. I wasn't.

He smirked holding out his hand, fingers waggling. My breath escaped me again and I tried to take in shallow gulps of air. In a gesture of bravado, I straightened my back and stepped back, my shoulder brushing his.

"Come on, Elena. Don't be afraid." He whispered. "I promise, it won't hurt. I will be gentle."

Squaring my shoulders, I held myself up to my fullest height and placed my hand into his, and let him lead me to the stone elevation. Once we were standing beside it, I lifted my trembling hands and carded my hair away from my throat, tilting my head to the side.

The muscles and tendons in my neck so tense an ache worked up my jaw. 'It won't hurt and perhaps I'll wake in my own body,' echoed weakly through my head and I tried not to flinch when Klaus' hands clutched my shoulders, pulling me closer against him. Two fingers beneath my chin, turned my face to meet his and I swallowed nervously.

"Thank you, Elena," he whispered, his blue eyes gleaming brightly in anticipation. I didn't stop him when his lips trailed down my throat, nestled against the base of my neck, but I did winch when his fangs pierced my skin. I felt a dull ache spread out across my throat and then, something wet, rolling down my collarbone. It was terrifying.

However, he was true to his word. When Klaus started to drain me, it was painless. I breathed out hard, my fingers curling around his wrist. Curling around the arm he'd wrapped around my waist and blinked rapidly. It was a reflex, I supposed.

A deeply ingrained reflex to live, but the world was fading quickly. I spluttered out a gasp and my body became heavy, my legs weakening. My eyelids became heavy, my eyelashes fluttering over my cheekbones and I went limp in his grip. Darkness descended so fast I felt little when I slipped into a world that was— nothing.

It was over—

And then, it was not-

To be continued...

AN: And there it is. I am sorry for the long absence, but surprisingly, I have quite a good reason. My laptop broke down. It's still quite possible to notice it because many of the keys of my keyboard stopped functioning properly. Which meant that writing became a bit impossible. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter nonetheless.

The sacrifice is finally done and over and with that, a new arc begins. I will start deviating from canon even more now and there are several storylines that will no longer be accessible when I'm done with them.

Anyway, what did you think of Katherine? Although right now, and for a long time, she might not play the biggest role, she will be needed in a later stadium.

Leave a review and let me know what you think. I always love your reviews.