Elena, who checking the underside of her newly painted car, smelt the blood of an open wound before she heard someone walking over to her and rolled out to see Katie, who paused, at the entrance of the open garage, with a hole in her pants.
"What happened?"Elena asked, getting up and looked at Katie worriedly.
"Huh?"Katie asked, looking confused.
"You have a hole in your pants."Elena pointed out, gesturing at her pants, causing Katie to glance down at herself."Did you hurt yourself?"
"Oh, yeah, I tripped, and uh... My leg is... Was bleeding. It stopped, but um..."Katie stammered, gesturing at which leg and Elena walked over to her, bending down and pulled the pants up.
"Ooh, that's gotta hurt."Elena winced and grimaced at the small wound.
"I didn't realise until someone pointed it out."Katie stated as Elena got up.
"Come on, I'll clean and wrap it for you."Elena said, gesturing for Katie to follow her as she reached over by the table and grabbed a rag to wipe her hands."Sorry about the grease on your pants."She added as an after thought.
"No, no, it's fine. And besides, I can do it. You get back to... uh..."Katie wordlessly gestured at Elena's car."Wasn't your car red?"Katie asked, looking confused.
"I painted it, and I need a break."Elena said dismissively."Besides, I need to start dinner in an hour before Jenna gets back."
"Since I injured myself, can I skip the cooking lesson?"Katie asked hopefully.
"If you can walk around with an open wound, you can learn how to cook."Katie pouted but followed an amused Elena back to the house.
"Ow!"Katie yelped as Elena sprayed the disinfection spray on her injury.
"Oh, hush, you know it would sting."Elena rolled her eyes at Katie.
"It feels like its burning."
"That just means you never use the disinfection spray, judging by how full it is."
"We never use it because we barely ever get hurt."
"So, how'd you injure yourself?"Elena asked as she finished cleaning the wound and began wrapping it.
"Strangest thing. I was in the Cemetery, and there was a crow and fog started to appear..."Katie trailed off as Elena looked up at her sharply.
"What's strange about a crow and fog being in the Cemetery?"Elena asked, not needing to know why Katie was in the Cemetery in the first place.
"I thought I saw someone in the fog and I freaked out... Then I accused Stefan of following me."
"Stefan?"Elena tested out that name on her tongue.
"Oh, he's the new guy at school... He's kind of hot."Katie admitted, blushing and Elena smirked up at her.
"Oh? Crushing on the new boy already huh?"
"I'm just saying he is."
"If you say he is, he is."
"Anyway, like I was saying, I accused him of following me, which he wasn't."Katie hurriedly said when she saw the suspicious frown appear on Elena's face."He said he has Family there, which is why he was at the Cemetery in the first place."
"Really? A new guy from out of town has deceased Family Members in Mystic Falls?"Katie shrugged and Elena, who had finished wrapping her injury, stood up."Well, alright."
"So, how was your day? I mean, it's the first time in months since you've been here that you decided to go out into town."Katie explained as Elena raised an eyebrow at her.
"A few of the town members mistook me for you,"Katie giggled while Elena rolled her eyes."and then suddenly, everyone knew who I was and some people tried to give me free food, which I declined and paid for it all."
"You know, if your hair was longer, we could totally play those twin games on people."Katie pointed out.
"Or you could cut your hair."Elena retorted.
"Never."Katie playfully hissed, grabbing a chunk of her hair and held it possessively."Hey... Do you have any idea why we look like we could be twins?"Katie asked, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Elena.
Elena froze, her eyes going wide."Uh... I, um... No. No, I have no idea why or how it's even possible."Came the weak and pathetic lie, causing Elena to mentally cringe."So, anything new? Other than the new boy."Elena changed the subject.
"Not really."Katie said, frowning slightly before remembering something."Oh, I was wondering about something."
"Yeah?"Elena asked as she put away the medical kit.
"Do you have Brian's number?"Katie asked bluntly, catching Elena off guard.
"Excuse me?"Elena whirled around sharply to look at Katie with narrowed eyes.
"For Caroline!"Katie exclaimed, realising how wrong that sounded.
"No, I think he changed his number for his own safety."Elena said thoughtfully, pursing her lips into a frown.
"Oh..."Katie muttered and sighed as Elena washed her hands at the sink.
"C'mon, it's time to start your cooking lessons."Elena said, changing the subject once again, and started getting the food out.
"Ok."Katie said, standing up and walking over to the sink, she washed her hands."So, what are we making?"
"Pozole."
"Huh?"
"Pozole, it's a Mexican Soup, or Stew, Dish."Elena stated as she started grabbing the pans and pot."You can shred the lettuce."She added, pointing at the lettuce.
Katie looked at the lettuce then at Elena."Why didn't you get pre-shredded lettuce?"
"I learned to never trust anything that already had an expiry date on it, other than milk and certain meats, after I got food poisoning from making a salad with pre-shredded lettuce."Elena stated, grimacing at the mere memory and shuddered in disgust. Katie couldn't help but look ill at hearing that."So, shred the lettuce, put it in the bowl and then put the lettuce in the colander and wash it. After that, you can start chopping the onions."The older brunette instructed the younger, who nodded and got to work.
By the time they finished making the Pozole, Jeremy and Jenna had arrived home."Hey guys."Katie said, smiling at them as they came to stop by the kitchen, heaving smelt something heavenly in the air.
"What's that smell?"Jenna asked, looking close to drooling due to the fact that she had forgotten to get her lunch.
"Pozole."Elena said and the duo looked confused at the name.
"It's a Traditional Mexican Soup Dish."Katie chirped."Which Elena taught me to make."
"You made it?"Jeremy asked, almost sounding warily.
"Yeah, I did."Katie almost snapped, her eyes narrowed.
"With my help and surprisingly, it tastes amazing."Elena interrupted, not wanting a fight to break out between her younger Siblings before Dinner.
Katie looked at Elena in disbelief."Hey."She whined.
"If Elena says it's amazing, then let's eat."Jenna cut in, walking over to the table.
"Word of warning though, Jenna, it's slightly spicy."Katie warned her.
"Oh please, I can handle spice."Jenna said dismissively as they all sat down.
"If it's too spicy, just add some of the lime juice."Elena said, gesturing to the bottle that was set in the middle of the table."Who's turn is it to say Grace?"She added questionably, seeing that no one was going to dig in.
"I think it's your turn."Jenna stated, pointing at Elena, who chuckled as Katie and Jeremy smirked at her.
"Ok, ok."Elena said, making a calming motion with her hands.
Later, after having their dinner, which thankfully for Jenna, Jeremy, and Katie, wasn't so spicy that they didn't have to add too much lime juice to their meals, Elena found herself relaxing on the couch in the living room, flipping through one of her car magazines when Katie and Jenna crossed paths going in the opposite directions, with Katie wearing a new outfit.
"I'm meeting Bonnie at the Grill."Katie stated.
"Kay, have fun."Jenna said over her shoulder, only to pause and turn around to look at Katie, who noticed this out of the corner of her eye and she stopped and turned to look at the blonde."Wait. I got this."Elena paused in her reading to look up and watch with an amused look in her eyes."Don't stay out late. It's a School Night."Jenna put her hands on her hips and Elena snorted softly, quickly bringing her magazine up to her face to hide behind, although she peeked up over the top, when Jenna sent her a mocking glare.
Katie chuckled softly."Well done, Aunt Jenna."She praised the blonde, who smiled before walking off, and once she was out of sight and hearing range, Katie looked at Elena, who lowered her magazine, and they shared a laugh."Think she's trying too hard?"
"At least she's trying."Elena answered, smirking."When Dom became mine and Mia's Guardian after Rita left, he forgot he was in charge of two teenage girls, and when he did remember, it was when we had a boy from School over."Katie giggled at hearing this, shaking her head."Hey, where's Jeremy? He disappeared after dinner and I was hoping to talk to him."
"I have no clue, actually..."Katie trailed off, frowning slightly."Hey, you wanna join me and Bonnie at the Grill?"
The older brunette raised an eyebrow at her."You want your Older Sister hanging around your friends?"
"Why not? You're cool."Katie said, shrugging.
"I'm just cool?"Elena asked, scoffing."I'll have you know that I'm amazing."She said in a dramatic voice and Katie laughed.
"Ok, ok, come on then."Katie said, grabbing Elena's wrist, dragging her to her feet."Let's go to the grill in your amazing car."
"Don't dis my baby or else I won't let you ever drive it."Elena mockingly warned her.
"Aw."Katie pouted at her before they both started laughing."Ok, ok, come on, let's go."Katie said, pulling Elena along with her to the front door, and opened it, only to come face to face with Stefan, causing her to gasp while Elena froze, staring at Stefan with wide eyes, who was looking between them with equally wide eyes."Oh."Was all the younger brunette could say.
"S-Sorry."Stefan stuttered."I was about to knock."He added weakly and gestured to the now open door before looking back at the brunettes."I wanted to apologise for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was strange."
"No worries."Katie said, easily forgiving him."I get it. Blood makes you squeamish."They both let out a small laugh.
"Something like that."Stefan agreed."How's your leg?"He asked, making a small gesture to her leg.
"Oh, it's fine. Just a scratch, barely."Katie said dismissively."And I have my amazing doctor of a Sister to thank for making sure it won't get infected."The younger brunette suddenly added, gesturing to Elena, having noticed that Stefan had looked at the older brunette questionably."Stefan, this is my Older Sister, Elena."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Elena."Stefan greeted Elena, holding out his hand to shake and she grabbed it, giving him a firm and borderline bone-crushing handshake, which surprised him.
"Pleasure's all mine."She said with a sharp and cold smile."Can I ask, how did you know where Katie lived?"Elena questioned him as she released his hand with a suspicious look on her face while Katie looked at him curiously.
"It's a small town. I asked the first person I saw."Stefan lied.
Elena hummed."Indeed, it is."She agreed.
"I thought you might want this back."Stefan said, changing the subject, as he looked back at Katie while he pulled out a familiar book and held it out to Katie.
"Oh, I must have dropped it. I-Thank you."Katie corrected herself before taking her Diary from Stefan.
"Don't worry."Stefan suddenly said, having caught the worried tone of Katie's voice when she thanked him."I didn't read it."He added.
"No?"
"Really?"
The Gilbert Sisters asked in unison, looking surprised and, in Elena's case, still suspicious as she crossed her arms.
"Why not?"Katie asked as she held her Diary close to her person."Most people would have."
"Well, I wouldn't want anyone to read mine."
"You keep a journal?"Katie asked, shocked while Elena pursed her lips.
"Yeah, if I don't write it down, I forget it. Memories are too important."
"Yeah."Katie agreed, sounding as if she had heard something deep and meaningful."I'm just gonna, um, you don't have to stay out there."Katie said as she walked backwards, before heading back inside to put her diary away, and Stefan looked at Elena, who glared at him.
"Yeah, no, I'm not letting you in."Elena growled out lowly, her eyes flashing yellow."Vampire."She hissed.
"You're a Werewolf."Stefan said, eyes wide in disbelief."Is Katie-No, and she doesn't know, and I would prefer that you kept it that way, got it?"Elena cut him off, her voice cold and dark, but before Elena could question him, Katie came back, looking between them in confusion.
"Is everything ok?"Katie asked, getting the feeling that Elena had just gone into Protective Big Sister Mode.
"Everything's fine."Elena said dismissively, still eyeing Stefan as if he was a threat.
"Uh, were you two going somewhere?"Stefan suddenly asked.
"Yeah, I'm meeting a friend and I'm trying to get Elena to be sociable."Katie partly joked, grinning at Elena.
Elena rolled her eyes."I am sociable..."The older brunette paused."When I wanna be."Katie, giggling, looked back at Stefan, who she walked back over to, with a hopeful look in her eyes.
"Do you wanna come with?"As Stefan smiled at Katie, Elena frowned at them, wondering how she was going to keep her innocent and naive Little Sister away from a Vampire without having to kill said Vampire.