❝  there's a mummy on main street  ❞

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Snores escaped Katherine's mouth as she slept soundly. She dreamt of a simpler time, it felt so long ago, but it was only a decade and a half ago when she arrived to Mystic Falls in search for her long lost cousin, Aaron. Of course, he was dead. He had been for months and she had no idea. That, and the man who killed him was dead. Damon. She wasnt mad though, instead she befriended Elena Gilbert and Tyler Lockwood, attending Whitmore College.

Katherines phone begins to ring, pulling her out of her slumber. Groaning, she clicks the green button. "What does thou need?"

"I tried calling Emma." Alaric says suddenly, catching Katherine off guard. "I just wanted to leave a message and say I'm sorry. None of this would've happened if it wasn't for that slug mixing everything up."

Frowning, Katherine sits up. "Alaric, where are you?" She asks him. It was late, he could have left quickly after the talent show.

"I hate that urn. So I'm just gonna get rid of it."

"Ric, where are you!?" Katherine vamp speeds to her dresser, putting on tight black pants and a white long sleeve top, and a designer belt. She dressed quickly, and was out of her door in less than a minute with her vamp speed.

Ric said nothing for a moment. "The river."

Sighing, she walks into his office to see Emma and Dorian. "I'm coming to get you. If you move, I'll take your kneecaps." Hanging up, she looks at the two. "What?"

"Is he okay?" Emma blurts, looking over at Katherine.

"He's slug drunk, but I can get to him soon. Can you two handle the school on your own for an hour?" She asks, packing her purse with a taser.

Emma nods, "Yeah, of course, Kat." The vampire nods, rushing out the door without another word.

The air was cold and brisk as Alaric sat on the bridge, leaning against the side. He was slug drunk, and he knew it, but he didn't care. He felt useless, like he had failed his daughters, his friends, his wife. How could he protect them all when he can barely protect himself? He turned his head, looking at the river below him.

Would it be so bad? If he just-

"Ric!"

He turned his head, Katherine standing before him. He remembered the first day he ever met her. She had walked into his Occult Class at Whitmore. She caught the attention of nearly everyone there, especially Tyler Lockwood. She had this natural confidence, and nobody knew who she was. Alaric remembers her introduction to the class. My name is Katherine, and I really love to drink with her classic smirk. He looked at her now. She was a grown woman, who he forced to attend the school as a student. He wondered if it was his best choice, and maybe it wasn't. He wondered about the idea of having her become a staff member from now on. Teach a class, maybe. Be a counselor with Emma, he didn't know. Maybe she could fill in Carolines spot in the school for now.

"Katherine," He says lowly. She rushes over, kneeling down to him. "I'm so sorry." He whispers.

Katherine shakes her head, "It's okay, Ric, lets just get this slug out and we can talk, okay?" She rushes to her bag.

"I'm sorry for trapping you in this loop. You weren't supposed to be a student. You were supposed to be a grown woman, with a life. You're dying, and I've made you spend your last two years as a student at a school full of children you don't even like." He rambles, moving his head back and forth. Katherine looks at him, confused. "You have spent your entire life as a vampire protecting people, and none of us ever protected you."

The vampire looks at him, pursing her lips. When she first turned into a vampire, she spent her time protecting Hayley and Hope. After that, she spent time in Mystic Falls, helping her newfound friends here. After everything, she went back to New Orleans for a few years, helping Hayley and Freya with Hope. After that, she was back in Mystic Falls to help Hope after the loss of her family. Her entire life was surrounded by protecting these people, protecting Hope. And now, now she was running out of time. In only a few weeks her 17 years would be up, and Katherine would die.

The air breezed around them as Katherine kneels down, taser in hand. "I'm sorry," She whispers, electrocuting his side. Alaric lets o ur a painful groan, the slug falling onto the bridge floor. Katherine stomps on it. "Let's get you home."

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Alaric, now Slug free, walks into Katherines room as she looks up from her notebook. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"I'm 35, and I'm actually applying for a job, here." She hands him a packet, smiling wide. Alaric raises a brow. "Listen, there's a chance I'm going to get through this alive. If I do, I don't want to be a student again. I want to graduate, I want to do adult things, and not have you baby me." She says, slightly harshly. "So make me a teacher, or even a janitor, I don't care. Just don't put me through things I've already done, again."

Alaric stares at Katherine, noticing she's at least slightly hopeful for living through this mess. "There will be a spot for you after the summer." He says, smiling softly. Katherine nods in appreciation. "Now, we have to go somewhere, and I need you to come with me so I'm not stuck with Emma and Dorian."

Katherine nods. "Right, I forgot about the whole kissing Emma while slug drunk." Alaric sends her a look, and she sends a smile. "Where are we going?"

"We are going to Maple Hollows." Alaric explains, Katherine nods slowly. "And because there's too many of us to go in one car, I need you to take the girls in your car."

Katherine frowns, turning in her chair. "What?"

"I'm taking Kaleb, but like I said, I can't be alone with Dorian. And I can't have Kaleb alone with MG." Katherine nods, listening to Alaric. "So youre taking Lizzie and Josie, and I'm going to take Kaleb, Dorian, and Emma."

"Why wouldn't I take Dorian and Emma with me and you take your girls?" Katherine asks, "I think your daughters still mad at me after breaking her heart." The vampire points out. Josie has been avoiding Katherine ever since she found out that Katherine had slept with Rafael. Katherine pitied her, but she also felt like it was the truth. What was Josie expecting? She's known who Katherine is since she was little, and she knows that's just how the vampire is.

Alaric stares at Katherine for a moment, nodding as if saying touché. "Well, Dorian has that superior complex where you're the student and he's a teacher and doesn't like being driven around by a student." Alaric says. Katherine narrows her eyes, confused by Alaric's word choice. "Just take the girls, okay?" He hisses, walking out of her room. Katherine has a small smile on her face, shaking her head slowly as she turns back to her vanity.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Lizzie Saltzman approaches the car in front of her. "This is Katherines car?" She asks in awe. She looks at the Belladonna Purple Rolls Royce Phantom.

Josie approaches close by, a frown on her face. "I don't know, don't ask me." She says cooly.

The blond Saltzman sister rolls her eyes, turning her head. "Dont be like that, Josie. Sure you guys had a fling, but you're clearly not her type." Lizzie says, annoyed. Josie rolls her eyes, now also annoyed with her sister.

Katherine walks out of the school, swaying her hips side to side. She wore a high waisted tight black skirt and a dark blue long sleeve turtleneck that was also tight. She held an expensive handbag in the bend of her arm, and dragged a suitcase along the ground. Her Chanel sunglasses only made her look more rich as her heels clicked along the pavement. She stops, taking her glasses off to look at the girls. "You ladies ready?" She asks, smiling.

"Duh," Lizzie says, turning around to the front seat.

"Sorry, spots taken!" The three turn around to see Hope, who's hair is up in a pony tail.

Lizzie crosses her arms. "What are you doing here?" She snips.

Katherine sighs. "She's coming to help." The vampire explains. She walks around to the trunk, shoving her suitcase in. Alaric walks out, waving at the girls as he gets into the van. "Okay, pile in everyone! Or I'll shove you in the trunk too."  Lizzie groaned as she got into the back with Josie, suddenly less happy about this trip. Hope says nothing as she slides in the passenger seat, Katherine starting the engine.

A good portion of the way there, Hope sighs as she kneels down. "I brought snacks." She chimes.

Lizzie looks towards the front. "Oh, sweet. Did you back them before or after you decided to FOMO your way onto our trip?" She retorts.

Hope rolls her eyes, looking at Lizzie through the rear view. "Like I'm gonna let you guys chase monsters without me?" She asks in a duh tone.

"I would've thought you wanted to spend the break canoodling with your hipster boyfriend." Lizzie mocks.

Hope turns around completely. "Sorry for wanting to protect the outside world from my mistakes." She snaps. "You know, there's currently an urn on a river cruise spreading plagues across America because I thought a unicorn was cute. It's called accountability. Maybe there's a bracelet for it." Katherine widens her eyes, staying silent as she listens to the girls argue.

"Or maybe you just wanted to ruin yet another Saltzman spring break."

"When have I ever ruined a spring break?" Hope asks, annoyed.

Katherine groans. "We're gonna be in this damn care for six hours, all right? So, shut up or I'm going to stick you in your dads car and make you listen to him sing 99 bottles of milk on the wall." She retorts, sending the two girls glares.

"It would help if it wasn't a thousand degrees in here. I'm burning up." Hope complains, looking at the air conditioner.

Lizzie looks at her. "You're burning up. Now, that's ironic." She chuckles.

"What does that even mean?" Hope asks, confused as she adjusts the AC.

"Don't play dumb." Lizzie frowns. "I see you. I see right through you."

Hope shrugs. "I don't know what you're talking about. What happened to playing nice?"

Lizzie turns to her window, shrugging her shoueders. "Over. Done. I'm getting back to me. I am who I am." She looks besides her, where her sister sits. "Right, Josie?" She frowns, patting Josie's leg. "Josie?"

Josie turns her head, taking her headphone out, "Sorry?"

"Josie, you cannot leave me alone with just her for company." Lizzie hisses, gesturing to Hope.

The brunette Saltzman looks over at Katherine, who's still silent in this whole fiasco. "Well, I get carsick if I don't listen to music." She shrugs, putting her headphone back in.

"Josie!" Lizzie snaps, reaching over again. This begins to cause an argument between the twins, and then Hope begins to join in because the two are kicking her seat. Katherine listens for a solid minute, before stepping harshly on the breaks, swerving to the side of the road and causing the three girls to scream.

Katherine turns her body to face all three of them. "Will you shut the hell up!?" She snaps. "There are enough problems right now than some stupid grudge you have, Lizzie. And Hope, stop feeding into it." Lizzie sinks in her seat, Hope pursing her lips. "And Josie, stop ignoring me because of something that isn't either of our faults."

"How is you playing with my feelings not your fault?" Josie snarks back, crossing her arms.

The vampire raises her arms. "Because feelings are like that, Josie! Sometimes feelings aren't always the same, and we can't control that! Did I like you? Yeah, sure! But it's not in such a way I wanted something more!" Katherine explains. "That's part of being a teenager, Jo. It's part of life. Hope knows it, Lizzie knows it. It just happens." Katherine sighs, "Plus, I dated your evil Uncle Kai and it just felt weird after I thought about it." She added. Lizzie nods in agreement, now wondering how Katherine had the idea of even sleeping with Josie. The three girls are finally silent, and Katherine sighs. "Okay, let's get back on the road."

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ 

After a long car ride, including a bit of Josie feeling carsick and Katherine having to continuously pull over to make sure Josie didn't puke in her car, the girls finally meet the boys and Emma at Maple Hollows. "I'm gonna go talk to your father, you girls stay here, don't kill each other." Katherine says before getting out of the car.

The vampire vamp speeds down to where Mr. Saltzman is. "You're sure this is the right spot?" He asks Dorian. Katherine walks over, crossing her arms as she looks around the muddy river. She now had a black blazer that matched her skirt, and luckily it kept her somewhat warm in the cool weather.

"Anyone else would probably go all the way to the dam." Dorian begins. Katherine nods, thinking to herself that's where she'd go. "Here, the river, it bends, slows, makes deposits. I'll find the urn." Dorian, who's in a scuba suit? looks over at Emma. "And we can be on our way." He says.

Katherine nods. "Ric and I are gonna split up, check out the town," She explains.

"We've got a fake gas leak story ready to go just in case there's another plague." Alaric follows.

"And I need to get a new pair of slippers while we're here," Katherine mutters. The three adults look over at her, and she shrugs sheepishly.

Dorian turns to Alaric. "Take care of my girl, Ric." He says, walking towards Emma. Alaric awkwardly looks away as Katherine raises her brows, turning to the Headmaster.

Emma glances at Alaric as Dorian pecks her cheek. "Be careful, okay?" She asks.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

"Welcome to Maple Hollows." Kaleb says as the group all walk down the street.

Alaric Saltzman glances at the younger three girls. "Girls, you take the fountain area. See what you can find out." He says. "Katherine, you go ask townsfolk," The group all know he truly means compulsion, but none of them
mind. Katherine nods, making her way down the street.

She smiles warmly as she walks by people. She eyeballs a man walking down an alley. Pursing her lips, she follows him down.

The man sighs as he reaches into his pocket, answering a phone call. "Hey, Angie. Yeah I just finished that date with Melissa. No, she doesn't know about us." Katherine narrows her eyes. "Melissa and I are married, I can't just come see you whenever I want!" The man goes silent for a moment. "Yeah, I'm on my way." He hangs up the phone, putting it back into his jacket.

"You know, I never liked cheaters." The man turns around, seeing Katherine. She smirks. "So, how would Melissa feel is she heard her cheating husband was found ripped to shreds by a mountain lion in an alley?"

The man scoffs. "Who do you think you are?" He snickers, turning away. However, when he turns, Katherines in front of him, inches away.

Katherines intense brown eyes dilate. "Have you or anyone you know seen anything strange in town?" She compels.

"No." He says.

The vampire nods, "Thanks for the information. Now go tell your wife that you're a lowlife scumbag and that you're cheating on her with a needy girl named Angie and you never deserved someone as good as her. Tell her that you'll leave so she can find someone better, and then tell Angie she's naive and stupid to believe that someone like you would leave your wife for a young street girl. Once you do that, leave town, and never look back." The man says nothing, turning his head to walk away. Before he does, Katherine grabs him. "I'm hungry, first." Without a second thought, Katherines teeth latch onto his neck. He groans in pain as his blood is drained from his body. When she pulls away, she compels to forget their interactions, and he leaves. As she walks away from the alley, the sound of loud buzzing hums in her ears. She looks around, seeing a large swarm of flies coming in the direction of town. Eyes wide, she vamp speeds to find the girls.

When she does, the girls are looking around for a place to hide. "Are you guys okay?" She asks.

"Katherine, you can't just use your powers!" Hope hisses.

"We have bigger issues, come on." Katherine ushers the teenage girls to a bakery.

The four hide in the bakery for a long while, until the hornets die. "This is....gross." Katherine mutters as she walks over the hornets.

"We need to find your dad." Hope says, looking at the twins. "This way."

"Does this way take us past the fire station?" Lizzie snaps.

Hope scoffs. "Oh, my God. We barely just survived a biblical plague. For the last time, I didn't start that fire, and I've never ruined a spring break!"

"Yeah, Lizzie, now's not the time." Josie says softly.

Lizzie begins to go over another 'example'. "Fifth grade. You callously gave me the flu while we were building our float for witch week. With global warming, I may never see the Florida Keys. That's on you." She rants

"We built it with Alyssa Chang, who had pneumonia over spring break." Hope corrects her "It wasn't me, and neither was that fire."

Katherine says nothing, "Um, guys?" Josie chirps.

"Why did I see you giving us a death glare through the window?" Lizzie asks Hope.

"There's a boil on my boil." Josie says. Katherine frowns, moving towards the Saltzman.

Lizzie and Hope looks down. "Oh, God!"

"Ew!"

Josie looks up. "I think I'm gonna be sick again." She mumbles, gagging. Katherine pats her back comfortingly.

"Pick up the pace, Mikaelson." Lizzie says, "My sister needs-" The four of them turn a corner, seeing busses and busses, men in yellow suits, and people being put on these busses. "Medical attention?" Lizzie hums, but it's more of a question.

Katherine sighs, "This is definitely not how I wanted to spend my last spring break."

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

"Please form an orderly single file line and proceed to the triage tent for processing."

The girls had managed to find Alaric, Emma, and Kaleb at the site. Katherine crosses her arms as they all stand together. "I don't get it." Hope says out loud. "The locals that we met said that they hadn't seen anything, which means that the first sign of trouble happened after we got here. How did these people get here before the bugs?" She asks, referencing the African hornets.

Alaric shakes his head, looking at the medical crew around them. "I don't know who they are, but they are too prepared, organized, and well-equipped to be responding to some random insect attack."

Katherine shrugs, "I don't know what's going on, but with my history, I have a feeling its not good." She says to the two.

The group all finally approach a woman. "You together?" Her voice is rather bland, as if she's bored.

"Yeah, you know, we just came in from Roanoke to see that giant ball of yarn you guys have." Dr. Saltzman grins, the group begin to have fake smiles and the woman looks at each person.

"And these are?" The woman asks.

Alaric looks at his group, before giving a wide grin. "This is my wife, Emma." He wraps his arm awkwardly around Emma, who gives a fake fake laugh. "Uh... these are my daughters. From my first marriage." He gestures to Hope, Josie, and Lizzie. "Katherine is my-"

"I was the best man." Katherine grins. "Best friends for years." Katherine turns her head "And this is my boyfriend, Kaleb!" Kaleb narrows his eyes, but grabs her hand as the two smile warmly. The woman stares at them, saying nothing as she checks them in.

Later on, Katherine stands at a table with Alaric. "Your daughters pissed at me." She mumbles.

Alaric nods, "Well, you broke her heart." He says slowly.

Katherine groans. "I did it to protect her. You know that Ric." She argues. Hope looks at the man she recognized from when her and Alaric went to save Landon, and turns to talk to Dr. Saltzman when she hears the following words. "I have a few more weeks until I'm gone, and I don't want Josie to feel like I did when I lost Kaleb and Kol." Hope freezes, frowning in confusion.

"Katherine, people are going to miss you." Alaric says softly. "You have been by my side for years, and I'm going to miss you the most out of everyone." Katherine smiles softly, nudging her best friend while clicking her tongue.

Before she could answer him, Hope walks over. "Don't look, but that guy over there was outside of Seylah's house when we were in Kansas, with the fake gas leak." Alaric and Katherine do the opposite of what she says, and both turn their heads. "I said don't look."

"The guy that was raiding her house?" Katherine asks. The other two nod their heads. "What's he doing here?"

Alaric sighs, shaking his head. "I don't know. Probably the same thing we were. Trying to cover things up. There are groups like this scattered all over the globe. Probably tracking the same activity we were." He explains.

Katherine turns, looking at a truck outside the tent. "Thats an awful lot of artillery, too." She says. Narrowing her eyes, she nudges the other two. "Look at their gear." Alaric and Hope look to see oxygen tanks, masks, suits, and fins.

"They're here for the urn." Alaric says, looking back at Katherine and Hope.

Hopes eyes widen. "Dorian." She whispers.

Katherine looks up. "Should I go get him?" She asks, ready to vamp speed off.

Alaric shakes his head. "No, I can't have you draw suspicion to us." He explains. "I want you to go around and try to non suspiciously find some clues." Katherine nods, moving away from the two. Hope watches Katherine leave, and wonders what the two were talking about before.