❝  mombie dearest  ❞

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

"And Caroline isn't even coming for the girls birthdays because she's busy trying to find a way to stop your curse and the Gemini curse." Alaric rants. "How am I supposed to tell my daughters their mom isn't going to be at their sweet sixteen? It's not like I can tell them what she's doing. Not to mention, we're nowhere near cracking this case with Landon and the knife."

Katherine Valentine sits in a chair, staring up at Alaric Saltzman. She wears black leather pants with a blue blouse tucked in. Her black heeled boots rest on his desk as she stretches her long legs out. She drinks a cup of coffee, listening to the man she's known for years ramble about his problems. "We have the knife, a symbol, and a place...kind of, but I don't know what any of it means." Rants the Headmaster.

"We'll figure something out, Ric." Says Katherine. "We're getting more and more information. We just need to take our time."

"We can't take our time, Katherine, that's the problem!" He says. "We don't know what's connecting it, and I don't know what monster is coming next." He looks out the window, concerned.

"Ric?"

Katherine and Alaric turn around slowly. The Saltzman's face goes pale. Katherines jaw drops. "Holy shit." She whispers.

Josette Loughlin. Alaric's fiancé who died at their wedding, and Katherines friend. Katherine stands up slowly, her eyes wide in surprise. "Dorian!" Alaric yells. The man pulls out his crossbow, and Katherines veins pop out under her eyes.

Dorian runs in. "Are you okay?" He pauses when he sees Alaric aiming his weapon at a woman. "Whoa, whoa."

Jo puts her hands up. "Ric, if you could just put down the crossbow. My freak-out level is about 11 right now." She says.

"You know her?" Dorian says.

"We know who she's supposed to be." Katherine replies.

"Who?"

Alaric's facial expression hardens. "The love of my life."

Jo begins to plead for them to wait as Dorian moves to Rics side. "Hold up. Hold up, Ric."

"Listen to Dorian." She turns her yead. "Are you Dorian? I'm Jo."

"You're his dead wife?" Dorian blurts. "I m... I mean fiancée. I mean, uh-"

Katherine turns to look at them. "You don't think she's actually-"

"No, I don't." Alaric snaps.

"Did you see how she got here?" Dorian asks the two. They both shake their heads, glancing back at Jo.

She stumbles over her words. "I was sort of, um, yanked awake and then I was just here."

Katherine laughs. "Yeah, nothing suspicious about that."

Jo looks at the Valentine vampire. "Kit-Kat, hi." She hums. Katherine tenses up at the name.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Dorian asks.

"Kill her now before she attacks?"

"I eat her before she can hurt anybody?"

Jo's eyes widen. "Wait, what?"

Dorian looks at Alaric. "I-I... I was more, Let's interrogate her. Because if she's the next monster, then maybe she would know more than the dryad did."

Alaric looks at Dorian, thinking over what he said. Sighing, "Okay, but no one sees her. Especially today." He says.

"Good idea." Katherine adds. "We need Emma." She whispers.

Alaric turns. "And you need to leave." He says to Katherine.

"Excuse me?"

"You being missing while the students are decorating is suspicious enough."

Katherine purses her lips. "True." She mumbles. "But shouldn't I be here to help-"

Alaric turns Katherine around by her shoulders. "Go, now." He orders.

Jo watches Alaric push Katherine out the door. "Don't miss me too much!" She waves before leaving.

Alaric sighs in clear annoyance, turning back to Dorian and Jo. "She's just like I remember." Jo hums softly. "Did you two get together?"

Alaric's eyes widen. "No!" He hisses. "That's...gross." He scrunches up his nose at the mere thought. "She's a student of mine now."

"Student? But why?"

"Because she needed a routine and this is it."

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Katherine sits on a chair, watching everyone decorate. "I said fuchsia, not magenta!" She scolds.

Penelope Park walks over to her friend. "You're very demanding today." She coos.

Katherine looks over at the witch for a moment. "I never got a sweet sixteen. I was busy killing witches that used magic without a mans direction. Giving Josie and Lizzie what I never had is exactly what I intend to do." She explains. "Even if I have to be as picky as Caroline Forbes to do it."

Penelope nods. "So, you and Josie are close, huh?" She asks. Katherine stands, walking towards a table where test foods sat.

"We're friends, yes." Katherine takes a cracker, dipping it in some sour of sour cream and onion dip, and tossing it in her mouth. "Not that it's concerns you."

"Well, it does concern me. I care about Josie."

"And so do I." Katherine places her hand on her hip, leaning against the snack table.

Penelope purses her lips. "I know that. But Josie's just... a naive girl, and I don't want you to start, I don't know, using her to your advantage?" She shrugs awkwardly.

Katherine raises a brow. "My advantage?" She repeats. The vampire stands up straight. "Like what?"

Before Penelope can answer, a certain MG approaches the two girls. "You're lucky I respect women and that I shun all forms of toxic masculinity, or else you and I would be throwing down right now." He says to Penelope. "Even if you can kick my ass."

Katherine rolls her eyes. "What did you do now?" She begrudgingly asks.

"Dude, I am here to help." Penelope snaps.

MG scoffs at the girl. "By telling Lizzie and Josie that their mom isn't coming?" Katherines eyes are wide.

"Penelope, what the hell is wrong with you?" Katherine sneers. Katherine knows the girls deserved that knowledge, but their dad hadn't even gotten the chance to tell them. She wonders if they talked to him yet, and what his excuse was.

"That was just for Lizzie, who is taking Rafael as her date instead of you." Penelope explains. "So why are you doing all this to try and make her party perfect?"

MG gives a cheeky grin. "Cause a man's got to shoot his shot."

Katherine sighs. "MG-"

"No. I can't take it anymore." Penelope cuts in. "As your friend, I demand that you retrieve your little MGs from Lizzie's grip."

"Not when I can taste victory."

Katherine and Penelope make eye contact. The vampire shrugs, unfazed by MG's ways. "Fine. I'll make you a deal. I will keep Werewolf Prince Charming away from the party long enough for you to shoot your one, final, inevitably failed shot." Penelope says. "And when it's over, and the Queen of Mean has broken your heart all over again, promise me that you will let Lizzie go."

MG smirks, nodding slowly. "Now that that's been settled," Katherine pats the table. "Penelope, I'm going to go find baby wolf, and all you do is make sure you trap him, and not me."

"Of course, my love," Penelope winks. Katherine smirks, walking away. Penelope's smile falls, still worried about Katherine and Josie's new friendship.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ 

Rafael and Hope dance in the midst of the gym. Rafael was Lizzie's date to the party, and he hardly knew how to dance. "You look like two awkwardly shaved hedgehogs."

The two look over to see Katherine Valentine. She struts into the gym. "You actually showed up." Hope counters. Rafael frowns, looking between the two.

"Wait, you invited her?" He asks.

"I've been to a couple balls in my lifetime." Hums the Valentine Vampire. Hope moves out of Katherines way. "Show me your moves, Pup."Rafael purses his lips, wrapping his arm around her waist. Sighing, she pulls him closer, placing her hand on his shoulder. The two connect hands, and they begin to dance. "So, what have you two been gossiping about?"

"How he got into being Lizzie's date." Hope explains.

Rafael sighs, and Katherine hums. "Really? Must be a fun story." She chimes.

Rafael shakes his head. "It's not a story I feel like sharing." He mumbles. Katherine giggles, dancing along with him. "You're leading."

Katherine smirks, pulling away. "And you're officially a gigolo." She pats his chest, pulling away.

"Thanks for this." He says to the two girls. He begins to walk away. "I guess I'll see you two at the party."

Hope purses her lips. "No, you won't." She says.

The Valentine groans. "You're just gonna stay in your room alone and being lame while everybody else is living their lives having actual fun?"

"Yep, works for me."

"Bullcrap. Everybody needs a crew." Says Rafael.

Hope looks back at Raf. "Kind of ironic coming from the reluctant alpha." She snorts.

"Okay, well, the pack is one thing, but a crew is a crew." He looks over at her. "You know what? I had that in Landon until you sent him away."

Katherine lets out a sigh. "We're back to that, I see."

"I'm just saying. It's one thing to be cool with being alone, and then it's another to want to be the lonely girl on purpose."

"As opposed to Mr. Good Guy, who's taking a girl that you don't even like to her own party?" Argues Hope.

Rafael rolls his eyes. "You know what, you're right. Lesson learned." Katherine clasps her hands, smirking as he turns to walk away. To his surprise, he walks into an invisible wall. "The hell?"

Hope frowns, walking up to it. "Barrier spell. Fantastic."

Katherine sighs. "Sorry, kids." Rafael turn to look at the vampire. "Nothing personal, truly." She smirks.

"You did this? How?" Asks Hope.

Penelope steps into the doorway. "Me." She chirps. Katherine giggles as she walks past Hope and Rafael, and straight through the barrier.

"Let us out of here, Katherine." Hope growls.

Katherine clicks her tongue. "No can do, Mikaelson." She chitters. "You'll be free in an hour. Plenty of time to practice that waltz, Rafaels steps are a little tense." The vampire hooks arms with Penelope, walking away.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Katherine finishes up her lipstick, smiling at herself in the mirror. She was wearing an all black dress with a sheer boddess. She looked amazing, as always. "Katy?" The vampire turns around, seeing Josie in her baby pink dress. "Can you, um, do my hair?"

The vampire smiles softly at the Saltzman, nodding. "Come sit."

The two girls sit in silence while Katherine brushes Josie's hair. Braiding the strands into a neat little style. "I'm sorry for what Penelope did to you this morning." Says Katherine.

"She just wanted to get back at Lizzie." Josie mumbles.

"But she decided it was worth it to hurt you in the process, no questions asked." Katherine points out. "Doesn't seem like a good move on her part."

Josie scoffs. "Aren't you two, like, best friends?" She asks.

Katherine purses her lips. "We have a unique dynamic, Penelope and I. Honestly, I think she's scared of me." The two giggle. "I dislike Lizzie as much as the next girl, but it's her birthday, and she deserves to be happy." Katherine thinks about how she trapped Rafael. Lizzie would be disappointed. But MG would be a far more enjoyable date, and he'd make her happy until Rafael shows up. "And you deserve to look amazing tonight," Katherine stands up, moving past the girl. She opens up a jewelry box, revealing a ring. It was once a daylight ring, but now it was nothing but a simple jewelry piece. Katherine hands it to Josie, who inspects the piece closely. On the inside of the ring, there's a fancy carved A.

"What does this mean?" Josie asks.

Katherine smiles, "Augustine." She hums. "My middle name, actually. My second one." Josie puts the jewelry on, admiring its design. "I knew you'd like it. Now you have to go, or you're going to miss all the fun." Josie giggles as Katherine ushers her out the door.

Josie turns around. "Will you be there soon?" She asks with a cheerful glint in her eye.

Katherine smiles softly. "Soon." Josie gives a grateful nod, disappearing down the hall. Pursing her lips, Katherine heads to Dr. Saltzman's office. Knowing well, she didn't need the spell to get in, Emma would've given her the ability to waltz in.

Jo Loughlin turns from where she stands to see Katherine Valentine. "Got any bourbon around here?" She asks.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

The two laugh as they sit and talk about old times. Jo looks up at her old friend. "Aren't you gonna be late?"

Katherine shakes my head. "Oh, no. No one will notice." She waves off.

"Not even Josie?" Jo raises a brow. "From what I've heard and from what Josie said, you two are very close."

"We have became good friends recently." Says the Valentine Vampire. She sips on her glass. "But, shes the ex of my friend. And now there's this boy she kissed. But Lizzie called dibs on him."

Jo hums. "Does Josie like him?"

"I think so. Most people like the mysterious broken new kids. I know I did." Katherine says, referring to Kai. Jo nods, humming at the thought.

"But anybody who spent five minutes with you would know how special you are."

Katherine huffs. "Yeah," She mumbles.

Jo purses her lips. "Did you guys ever find a way to stop the curse?" She asks.

Pursing her lips, Katherine shakes her head. "It's my last year." She says softly. Jo frowns, pitying her friend. Katherine was never the best person, and was never the most liked. Hell, her and Damon Salvatore often went head to head on many topics. But she was a good soul, and didn't deserve to die. "I'm really happy you're here." Katherine finally says. "I honestly think that Ric is really lonely." She confesses.

"He's a pretty terrific guy." Jo whispers. She stands up, taking Katherines glass. "But you can catch me up later. You have a party to go to." Jo turns around, putting the glasses on the desk. Her eyes flash the color white, before turning normal again. "Actually, can you show me something?"

Katherine raises a brow. "What? You want to see my ice cream machine Ric took?"

"I want to go see the party. Just to see the girls have fun while I'm still here."

Katherine purses her lips. "Sure, let's go."

The vampire leads her old friend through the woods. "And Lizzie is totally into Rafael, but MG is into Lizzie, and Josie is probably into a Rafael. It's this whole thing."

"Oh my god!" Jo laughs.

"So I'm going to take you to this alcove, you'll be able to watch everything from up there." Katherine rambles. Suddenly, Jo stops walking, falling to the ground. "Jo? Oh my god," She whispers. Kneeling down, the vampire looks over the woman. "I'm going to go find Ric." She says. Standing up, she begins to walk away.

Jo stands up from behind the vampire, her skin gray and pale, rotting from the past 16 years. Katherine tenses up, turning to look at her. Jo sends a menacing look, before pulling a stake out from no where. Katherines eyes are wide as she backs up. Jo sprints towards her, not giving the girl a second to register before shoving the stake into her heart. Katherine lets out a struggling breath, before falling to the ground.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ 

"She could be anywhere, Dorian." Snaps Alaric Saltzman. Jo was missing. He had no idea what happened, or if she had hurt anyone.

Dorian walks through the school. "I've got the faculty searching the building as we speak."

"I'm on my way to the dance hall." Says Alaric.

"Ric?"

He spins on his heal, seeing his dead fiancé. "Call off the dogs. I think I found her."

"I think I'll keep 'em on standby."

"Something's wrong." Says Jo. Her voice wavers as Alaric hands up the phone with Dorian.

She steps closer to him. "How did you get out?" He asks.

"Katherine was with me, and she wanted to take me to the party with her. I know it was stupid, but I just... I wanted to see their Sweet 16." She rambles, talking about the Saltzman twins.

"Okay, just tell me exactly what happened." Alaric says slowly.

She shakes her head. "I don't know. I-I was with her one minute, and then," The two look down at her dirty hands. "Ric, I lost time. I don't know. I must have done something to her, but I just, I don't know." Jo suddenly grows dizzy, falling in Rics arms. Confused, he looks down at her, trying to figure out what to do next.

Suddenly, her eyes open, and they're solid white. "There's a knife in your possession that will buy you the answer." Alaric throws her to the ground, leaping back. Laughing, the possessed Jo slowly stands to her feet. "No need to rush. I'm sure Katherine has an hour before she dies. Again." Alaric grabs Jo by the shoulders, throwing her into a post.

"Where is she?!" His mind races back and forth. Katherine was immortal, sure, but she only had so long before she died. And the chance of the immortality spell getting weaker and weaker made everything more urgent.

"Dr. Saltzman?" Alaric turns to see Hope, dressed and ready for the party. "What's going on?"

He pants, "Hope, I need your help."

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Penelope and MG discuss the fact that he is no longer allowed to pine over Lizzie Saltzman when Hope walks by. "You gonna howl at the moon wearing that?"

"Sorry, no time for bitchy banter." Hope snaps. Pausing, she turns to look at them. "Actually... I could use your help finding Katherine."

"What happened?" Asks Penelope. Katherine was her friend, and she had noticed she wasn't at the party, which is part of the reason why she came to MG in the first place.

Hope sighs. "Apparently, her possessed former friend buried her alive in the cemetery." She explains. Penelope grabs a shovel.

"We're coming with you." Says MG.

Meanwhile, Alaric opens the safe, where he usually held the knife. However, it's empty. Pulling out his phone, he dials for Dorian. "Hello, Ric." Hums the librarian.

"Where is it?" Alaric snaps.

"Asking for a friend?"

Alaric shakes his head. "I need the knife, Dorian. Katherine's life is at stake." He snaps.

"That's why I moved it. I knew the monster was gonna make a play." Explains Dorian.

"I need you to bring it to me now."

Dorian replies, "Hero 101, Ric, you don't give the bad guys what they want, especially if we don't know what it does. I mean, this thing could spawn Armageddon."

"It has Katherine!" Yells Alaric.

"She's a vampire, Ric, she'll be fine!" Argues Dorian.

Alaric scoffs. "She's dying, Dorian! She has a few months left to live, you don't know how strong she is anymore. Bring me the damn knife!"

"We'll save Katherine, Ric, but we're not giving up this knife."

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Silence.

That's all Katherine can hear as she struggles for air. She never realized silence was as real and as horrifying as it gets. She didn't realize how loud silence truly was. It was cold, dark, and scary. Just like the earth surrounding her.

She felt weak. She didn't know why, but she wasn't strong enough to fight her way out. "Somebody help me!" She screams. Dirt falls into her mouth and she chokes it out. "Ric!? Ric!? Somebody help!" Tears roll down her cheeks. Death felt like he was breathing on her shoulder, and she knew it. "Help me!" She cries and cries, but to no avail. Was she going to be stuck down here forever? Until her clock runs out and her mother's curse finally takes her away? Was she going to die here?

Meanwhile, above ground, MG, Hope, and Penelope fight off monsters while MG listens for the Valentine. "I hear her!" He yells. Vamp speeding, MG races to a spot, beginning to dig. Hope and Penelope rush over as fast as they can.

Katherine coughs as the dirt begins to move, light being seen above her. She reaches her hand up, feeling the cool breeze. Suddenly, a hand grabs onto her, pulling her out of the dirt. She lets out a strangled cry as her body rises from her apparent grave. Penelope, Hope, and MG all sit around her, relieved to see their friend.

"Katherine, oh my god," Penelope cries.

The vampire looks up, instantly calming herself down now that she's above the dirt. "Dammit, I just got this dress." She frowns.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

The vampire walks into Dr. Saltzman's office, covered in dirt. Jo and Dr Saltzman pull away, turning to look back at her. "Katherine, I am so sorry." Jo cries. Katherine tears up, the two colliding in a hug.

"It's okay," Katherine whispers. "I'm okay."

Jo pulls away, cupping her friend's cheeks. "This was never supposed to happen. And I'm going to make it right." She says.

"Don't say that, please." Katherine was smarter than most, she instantly could catch on to what Jo's trying to say.

"I'm so happy I got to see you again. I love you." She whispers. Katherine chokes on a sob, wrapping her arms around Jo again. Her friend, who her ex-boyfriend killed, was dying again.

Pulling away slowly, Katherine turns to Alaric. He had never felt so relieved to see the young woman. She was horrible most of the time, sure, but she was family to him. Overwhelmed with emotions, Ric wraps his arms around Katherine, who lays her head on his chest as she silently cries, stressed from the day's events. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" She asks softly,

Ric looks up at Jo, who has tears rolling down her cheeks as she sees her friend cry. Katherine was scared, horrified by the fact she's going to get weaker. And then, she's going to die. Alaric tightens his grip on the young vampire. "No." He says as he rests his chin in her head. "You're not dying anytime soon." He says.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Alaric walks into Katherines bedroom, seeing the girl sit at her window sill. "Jo is gone." He says weakly. Katherine nods, wiping her tears as she continues to stare out the window. "We're going to find a way to cure you, Katherine."

The girl sighs, shaking her head slowly. "I was born in a powerful line of witches. I was supposed to be a Harvest girl with my best friend. I was supposed to die. And then Marcel saved me. I was supposed to get married to Kaleb Westphall, have kids, and live a semi normal witchy life." She laughs at the memories. "And then I died." She whispers. "I came to Mystic Falls, where I was supposed to live at peace, and then I fell in love, again and again, and yet never did it seem right." She leans against the glass. "Maybe I wasn't meant to be happy. Maybe, I'm meant to die at the ripe age of 34."

"No," Alaric whispers. "You're meant to live as long as you can until you can take the cure, and then live the life you deserve to live." He walks to her, sitting on her sill. "You're going to be happy, Katherine. No matter how many ice cream machines I have to buy you before that. I will find a way to stop your curse."

She shakes her head, looking up at him. "And if you don't?"

"I will." He says softly. He stands up again, walking out of her room. Katherine chokes on a sob, leaning on the glass again.

Josie Saltzman pokes her head into the vampire's room. "I brought cookies." She whispers. Katherine looks over, seeing the pretty brunette smiled at her. "And a blood bag." She adds. Katherine giggles, adjusting herself so Josie can sit next to her. "Are you okay?" Josie places the cookies on Katherine's table.

Katherine nods. "Just living the casual life." She hums.

Josie nods, "Penelope told me that I should go after things, and be selfish for once." She say. "I did that today, and I talked to my mom for the first time ever. And now she's gone, and you almost died."

"None of that's your fault," Katherine says.

"There's room for people in this world that just care about other people," Josie says, annoyed at the world.

Katherine looks over at Josie. The way the girl stares at Katherine's room, the way her hair shined in the light. Her skin glowing. "You're right. This world needs the selfless and the selfish to keep spinning." Josie turns her head to see her friend. "I happen to be the latter." Without a second thought, Katherine places her lips on Josie's.

Josie tenses up, shocked by Katherine's move. The girl had never shown interest in her before not in that way. Was Josie ready for another relationship? Was this even going to be a relationship? What was Katherine thinking?

Neither of them really knew.

The Saltzman decides not to worry, kissing the vampire back softly. Katherine vamp speeds them across the room, shutting the door with Josie's body. The two pull away, Josie breathing heavily at the movement. The Valentine's eyes trace black for a moment, before returning back to their human form. Eager, Josie smashes her lips on Katherines. The vampire smirks into the kiss, bringing her hands to the girls face. She vamp speeds to the bed, standing over the witch.

And, well, I think you and I both know what went down that night.

NATALIA'S NOTES
━━━━༺❀༻━━━━

i know i should talk about what just happened but i'm not going to.

i want to talk ab something i've been posting ab on my stuff recently, but i'm doing it again bc some people aren't getting the message.

PLEASE DONT SAY "can you update" WHEN I JUST UPDATED. i update me stories every few days, or every week to 2 weeks. which i would say that fairly often considering the amount of stories i have going right now uploaded and in the drafts.

i get it, you're enjoying the story and you want more. i love that you're excited! i just feel weird ab when i JUST update something and suddenly it's like "gimme more". it makes me want to purposely not update because it just annoys me??

i pretty much delete the comments when i see them, cause genuinely they make me want to throat punch people.

sorry if this all sounds rude, i'm very tired and sleep-deprived.

i hope you all enjoy the chapter, if you have any ideas for the talent show episode please help me out bc i have some WRITERS BLOCKKK. i may not update for the next week just because i'm not super far pre-writing wise and so i want to have chapters for the next while prepared. i'll probably just do weekly updates for the next 2-4 weeks actually, now that i think about it.