[Episode 26 - Memory Lane - 3]

Setting her bulky purse down at the cleanest spot of the cell ground, Kat tuts at the old vampire.

"Hello Letty" she smiles relaxedly but tiredly. 

"What's with the Letty?" she kneels down before her, as Stefan takes a break and steps behind.

"Do you want to know? Good... It's good to want things" she smiles. 

It's not been one minute since the girl entered and it's already been a hell of a time. 

"Purse please" the Gilbert twin extends her hand backwards, where Stefan stands with his arms crossed.

"Huh?"

"Purse please" she smiles at him. Stefan looks taken aback at the devilish hint in her forest green eyes. She almost looks like Katherine and that scared him. "Don't worry Stefan" her eyes soften, catching onto his caution "We have some answers to get"

He obliges, ignoring the pointed looks of the oldest doppelganger, and hands her the surprisingly heavy purse. 

"Okay..." Kat nods satisfactorily at the thing in her purse and removes a fat syringe from the leather bag, twirling it in her fingers. Without preamble, she plunges it deep into the heart of the oldest vampire, who grunts under the impact.

"Concentrated vervain. Now...." the Guardian unties the ropes and catches the doppelganger as she falls weakly into her arms, she sets her on the cold stone ground "answer my buddy's questions"

"Or?"

"I can play with your brain" she states "or, better yet, your heart" she digs her fingers into Katherine's chest and gets a groan.

"Kat" Stefan warns. She continues to dig, ignoring his call and he rushes to her, pulling her up "Kat..."

It's like she came out of a trance. The Guardian shakes her head and takes in deep breaths "I'm fine. I'm fine"

"You knew that they were gonna burn the vampires in the church?" Stefan asks, his hands still holding Kat in place.

"I practically lit the match" Katherine looks at the composing Guardian and it seems weird.

"They were your friends, they were your family and you just sold them out" 

"Without blinking" she smirks in answer.

After some more interesting answers from Katherine 1864, Stefan asks "What did George Lockwood get in return? For giving you your freedom" 

"Something he wanted desperately" Katherine says, now a bit more strong.

"So you sent 26 of your friends to their death, just to fake your own?" Stefan's brows furrow and Kat realises the actual catch, frowning at the older vampire "No, you were running from something. What was it?"

"Everyone has a past, Letty. Mine needed to stay far far away but thanks to you" she jerks her head towards Stefan "my plan nearly failed before it even began. Once George told me that the round up was imminent, I made sure I could see you one last time, but your father used your love for me against you, he poisoned your blood. Then Damon being Damon, nearly ruined everything"

"We came for you" Stefan whispers disappointingly "we tried to save you"

"I didn't want to be saved" she states ruthlessly.

"So then Damon and I died for nothing! For nothing!" he rushes up but is now held back by Kat "Stefan no, wait"

"No, Stefan, you died for love..." Katherine blindly states, as if manipulating 2 best friends, brothers, and making them vampires was just for love. No, it was for her amusement, and safety.

"Are you gonna tell me why you came back here?" Kat growls "Or you're just playing another game?"

"Have you not heard a word that I've said Kat? I've answered that question five times over now"

"Oh good, make it six" she glares impatiently. 

"I want what I want and I don't care what I have to do to get it. My list of victims is a long one, and I have no problem adding one more name to that list" Katherine looks to her baby twin.

"Come on Katherine. If you wanted me dead, you would have done it by now"

"I would never want you dead. But maybe I want your sister dead"

"You don't, that's why you're here and my girlfriend is still alive" Stefan glares

"Still can kill her. If I have to, I will snap her neck like a twig and you know it"

Without any warning to his friend, Stefan rushes over to the sitting vampire with a stake and hovers over her with it. "Stefan." now it's Kat trying to get him into control, which he regains and throws away the weapon.

"I guess you don't hate me as much as you thought you did" Katherine pouts smugly, earning a glare from the on-edge duo. Apparently, someone gave permission for the doppelbitch to make demands 

"I don't want you seeing the Gilbert sisters anymore" he cocks her head "If you don't remove them from your life, I will kill everyone that they love while they watch and then I will kill Elena while you watch"

Kat pins her to the wall, snarling "Did I say you could continue to talk?" she struggles for breath and slaps her fisted hand to let go. Instead, the Guardian tightens her grip and tries to bait the girl "And Damon won't like you harassing me, so behave" she lets go with a kick. 

Katherine looks to the Gilbert in shock before she covers it up. She smirks and turns to one of her Salvatore exes "How are you taking that Stefan?"

He rushes over her again and this time, successfully strangles her. His face vamps out and he has a stake in his hands, hovering over his villain's heart "Don't you ever think for one moment that I will not kill you"

Surprisingly, Katherine throws him against the wall, reversing the power positions as she holds the man high up "I have been sipping vervain every single day for the last 145 years. You caught me by surprise once, and I stayed for Violetta!" she snarls in the heat of the moment, letting the name slip out "It doesn't hurt me, Stefan"

The third person in the room snarls and stakes Katherine's back, almost getting her heart but missing out on purpose. 

"What are you talking about?" she questions as Stefan, finally out of the powerful hold, takes in a breath.

"I told you, I missed Stefan. And I'm here for you" she smirks at Kat "I just wanted to spend some time with you"

Her face morphs into an innocent sweet smile, totally contradicting her scheming nature as she takes a hold of the bloody stake in her back "Careful Kat, you might not want to kill me just yet" she speeds to her and pushes the stake into her side. The Gilbert twin groans and thuds down onto her knees. 

Katherine lets the piece of wood stay and brings her bloody fingers to Kat's cheeks "You'll understand soon enough. Stay safe" she kisses her forehead and speeds out.

Stefan kneels in front of her and checks "Are you alright?" she doesn't groan as she pulls the stake out and throws it against the stone wall with a shout. 

She doesn't understand anything. And now, the very vampire she wanted to kill, was acting like she knew her since ages.

"Wait.... Wait!" something raw strikes her and she runs up. Stefan follows her "What? Viv?"

When they reach the parlour, they see Katherine standing in front of the younger Gilbert "You're asking the wrong questions"

"Elena?!" Stefan shouts, panicked that something may happen to his girlfriend. Both the doppelgangers look to them.

"Do you miss Letty?" the Guardian throws a shot in the dark and is rewarded as Katherine's face morphs into a serious expression "Bye Kat"

"Are you okay?" Stefan runs to Elena, who's just had the first encounter with the Katherine Pierce.

"Not really. Are you okay?" she hugs her boyfriend.

"Not really" Stefan replies, burying his head into her shoulder and Kat runs towards the door, only to stagger to a stop "Stef! Keys!" she raises her hand, palm open and demanding.

"What?"

"Your keys! Fast!" she orders and he throws his Porsche keys to her "I'll come back. Sit tight!" she closes the big wooden door, thankfully not breaking it in half.

"What was that?" Elena questions with confused eyes and Stefan shrugs, not getting more than the fact that now, the older Gilbert twin and the Pierce vampire might be on the same wavelength. And it made him uncomfortable.

Kat gets into the classic car and drives to her house. It's about dark and she sees the sun setting behind the rows of houses. She brakes the car to a smoky halt and gets out just as Damon and Mason step away from each other near the garage. 

The Guardian rushes to Damon, huffing and relaxing after her injury has healed "Damon! I need your jacket! Now!" 

"What? Why?"

"Just do it!" she all but shouts. 

"Here" instead of the vampire, Mason throws her a cardigan from his truck. "I might get blood on it" she points to her bloody clothes "It's healed, don't worry" she assures the Salvatore before he can even speak.

Mason just shrugs "I owe you for yesterday"

She smiles "Thanks, I'll come by tomorrow" she starts rushing inside but stops before opening the door "And Mase,"

"Yea?"

"Katherine is only toying with you. She's behind Stefan now"

She doesn't wait for the response of the werewolf and walks in as fast as she can to avoid attention.

Unfortunately, Jenna catches her "Hey Kat! You went out early, everything alright?"

"Uh, yes Jenna, just wanted to check those portraits at the treehouse, have to put them up for sale" she comes up with a lie that the strawberry blonde will believe 

"Oh, ok. Want some chicken?"

"Uh, nop-" she starts going up when Alaric comes up "Hey Jen- oh Kat, um, you okay?"

"Yes, no. Um, " she throws her arms up with a hysterical smile "It's complicated"

"Is this about that town research you were doing?" he raises his eyebrows in code as Jenna walks around the kitchen, cleaning the dishes.

"Uh, yes. I need you to proofread something. Can you?" she stresses and her History teacher nods "Jenna? I'll be back?"

"You guys aren't going to escape this right?" she points to the half done dishes with a playful frown.

"What no! Jenny, leave them there and work on the backyard, we'll be back for the dishes. Come Alaric" she rushes and stumbles up to her room.

She opens her cupboard and throws back all the clothes to get to the safe bottom - where the ancient book lies. Just as she sets it on the bed, Damon comes through the window and Alaric, from the door. 

"Let me look at it, let me look at it" he pulls the shirt up on his side and Violet protests "No! Wait, later. What was Katherine's original name?"

"Why do you want to talk-"

"Damon..." Alaric placates.

"Katerina Petrova. She was Bulgarian or she said. That bitch" he mumbles and Kat huffs, trying to be as gentle while quick with the pages "Tatia Petrova, Talia Petrova, Amara Petrova, Amalia Petrova, Kater....." she trails off, eyes wide.

"Katerina Petrova" Alaric softly whispers, studying the left page. 

"And Violetta Petrova" Damon whispers, shocked and slow, carefully watching Kat. 

"Violetta Petrova" she repeats.

"Kat?"

"Letta. O my God..." she stammers. She gets up, handing Damon the book "Katherine is playing with you and Stefan. I saw how jealous she was today"

"Wait, you met her? Kat!..." Alaric placates firmly, only to have the girl furrow her brows "But she was very clear she won't hurt me. But she will hurt Elena if..."

"If what Kat?" Damon impatiently asks.

"If they don't break up. I think I have an idea. Your phone Smoldy" he, for once, doesn't protest and hands over the device.

It's Kat, listen to me and have a fake couple's fight with Elena RIGHT NOW. Make it loud. Trust me. She sends the message to the younger Salvatore.

How do I know you're Kat? he replies immediately.

The Guardian rolls her eyes and types I got stuck with Hellfire in my dad's old office

This time, Elena is the one who texts her It's Elena, tell me something only we both know.

She groans and Alaric and Damon look at each other as if she's mad.

You stole dad's Camaro out for a drive when we were 14. Now make it seem as if she's driven you apart.

Finally, what she wants, is replied. She huffs and rolls her eyes, sitting back on the bed between the teacher and the vampire 

"Katherine needs to believe that they're on the way to their break up"

"Kat" Damon interrupts.

"And I need to find out about this Letta chick"

"Kat" this time Ric says, gentler than his friend.

"-and why the doppelbitch is obsessed with keeping me safe"

"Kat!" Damon holds down her waving hands "Shut up"

Alaric gets up "Damon came to me yesterday night"

She takes a deep breath "Okay?"

"And you need venting"

"Duh, look at my lif-"

"Training" Alaric interrupts, and Damon continues with that wedge "You need to balance these mood swings"

"What? No"

"Kat..." he gets up and kneels down, Ric standing behind him, a begging stern eye on the Guardian 

"You're sleeping with a vampire, whose brother is a vampire. Your best friend is a vampire now. You have a witch friend. And you and your sister are doppelgangers"

"Why are stating all the shit of my life!" she panics, her emotions getting the better of her.

"What Damon means to say is, that it's been a roller coaster for you. Maybe you could talk to me, and train"

"I can?" she takes in a panicked breath.

"Yes yes" now, Alaric is the one kneeling "I'll listen to whatever you wanna say. How does that sound huh?"

"You'll do that for me?" her eyes widen in surprise as Alaric smiles "You underestimate how much you've helped me... So, I'm ready to return it"

The girl lets out a happy breath and she hugs both the men. They're here to help. She'll be better.

"Thank you"

"Of course, I like peaceful sleep" Damon being Damon, jokes to cover up his relief.

▹▹▹

"Violetta Petrova was Katherine's twin sister" Damon repeats again, in disbelief. Kat falls onto her bed with a sigh "She was a Guardian".

"And every Guardian's soul is transferred to the next reincarnation" the latest Violet states, with the same surprised tone.

"So, you ha-" the vampire is interrupted by the sound only supernaturals would hear from a distance. He looks to Kat, as they hear Stefan ask for Elena to open the window.

"I was so worrie-"

The older Gilbert's nose scrunches up as they hear the should-be-fighting couple being 'cute' in the middle of night. When there were two ear-sensitive people literally next door.

Damon gets up in a jiffy, same disgusted look on his face. He extends his hand towards the green-eyed girl troubling herself just like he used to trouble himself.

They jump out of the window and flash through the forest to the Boarding House.

▹▹▹

The incomplete moon soars high up in the early morning sky as a shadow falls over the glass doors of the older Salvatore's balcony. Katerina Petrova stands there, looking at the slumbering forms of Damon and Kat.

She ignores the wave of jealousy upon seeing them bare under the sheets, snuggled up and spooning peacefully. 

She brings her two fingers to her lips and touches them to the glass to the image of the sleeping Guardian "I'll keep you safe Letty"