09. Katerina

Caroline, Brayden, Stefan, Fae, Elena, Damon and Kaitlynn, sat in the Salvatore's living room, talking to Rose, who had come to the Salvatore Boarding House last night, after having no where else to go.

"Okay, you have to understand, I only know what I've picked up over the years" Rose informed the group, "And I don't know what's true and what's not true, that's the problem with all of this vampire crap, but Klaus I know is real".

"Who is he?" Elena asked confused.

"He's one of the Originals, he's a legend" Damon replied.

"That's what he thinks" Brayden corrected, taking a sip of his coffee and handing it to Caroline, who gave him a small smile, and drank from the cup.

"From the first generations of vampires" Stefan added.

"Like Elijah" Elena realised, making Damon look at Kaitlynn who was looking down at the floor, not wanting to talk about Elijah.

"No, Elijah was the Easter bunny compared to Klaus" Rose corrected, "He's a foot soldier, Klaus is the real deal".

"Klaus is known to be the oldest" Stefan informed.

"We think" Brayden interjected.

"So let me get this straight, the oldest vampire to exist ever, is coming after Caroline and Elena?" Fae asked, making Caroline look at Brayden in worry, who in turn laced his fingers with hers.

"Yes" Rose replied.

"No" Brayden snapped, glaring at Rose.

"What they're saying is, I mean, if what she's saying is true--".

"Which it is" Rose interrupted Damon.

"And you're not saying this so we don't kill you?" Damon snapped.

"Which I'm not" Rose defended.

"Then we're looking at a solid maybe" Damon finished.

"Look, Elijah's dead, right? No one else even knows that you two exist" Stefan assured the two girls.

"People might not know that the doppelganger exists, but everyone knows that there is new soulmates around" Rose said, "It's only a matter of time that a witch finds Caroline and informs Klaus".

"How?" Brayden asked, "How would a witch even know about her?".

"Because every time two soulmates are born, every witch in the witch community feels it, that's why the moment I met you Brayden, I knew you were the next male soulmate" Fae informed.

"But there's quiet a huge age gap between me and Caroline, how does it make sense that we are soulmates?" Brayden asked, "Not that I mind or anything".

"Nice save" Caroline said, making Brayden chuckle.

"I don't know" Fae replied, "The universe decides all this, not me".

"If a soulmate bond is broken once, does it mean it's never coming back?" Kaitlynn asked, finally speaking.

"I don't know" Fae replied, giving her best friend a sympathetic smile, "I guess it will depend on the soulmates".

Brayden looked at Damon, who was looking at the fireplace, with a unreadable expression on his face, "Well, even if you wanted to reconnect with your old soulmate he's dead" Brayden said, telling Damon more then Kaitlynn.

"Geez, Brayden, thanks for stating the obvious" Kaitlynn snapped.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed" Brayden mumbled, making Caroline slap his shoulder, "What?".

"You really need to learn when to shut up" Caroline said, making Brayden playfully roll his eyes.

"If you guys are done, can we get back to the main topic, or did you forget about Klaus?" Stefan asked.

"Even if we did, you're always going to remind us, aren't you brother?" Brayden asked sarcastically.

Stefan rolled his eyes at his brother then turned to Elena and Caroline, "Look, I've never even met anyone who's laid eyes on him, I mean, we're talking centuries of truth mixed with fiction, we don't know what's real, for all we know he could be some stupid bedtime story".

"He's real, and he doesn't give up" Rose snapped, "If he wants something, he gets it, if you're not afraid of Klaus then you're an idiot".

"All right, we're shaking, you made your point" Damon said.

Kaitlynn sighed and turned to Caroline, "You ready?".

"Uh yeah" Caroline replied, grabbing her bag and standing.

"Woah" Brayden said, grabbing Caroline's wrist, "Where are you going?".

"School" Caroline replied, "Kaitlynn and Fae are dropping me".

"No" Brayden said, "I always drop you to school".

"Well suck it up Bray" Fae said, "We're dropping her to school today".

Brayden looked at Caroline, "Are you okay?" he asked, looking at her in concern.

"I'm fine" Caroline assured, "I'll see you later".

"Princess--".

Caroline interrupted Brayden by placing a kiss on his lips, "Love you".

Before Brayden could stop her, Caroline, alongside Fae and Kaitlynn rushed out the living room.

"Your girlfriend is in denial" Damon commented.

"Zip it Damon" Brayden snapped.

***

"I hate this" Caroline said, as her, Kaitlynn, and Fae walked in the woods, "The last time I lied to Brayden, he was so mad at me".

"Last time you lied to Brayden, was about Katherine threatening you, this time it's for information, he will understand" Kaitlynn assured.

"Have you met him?" Caroline asked, "He hates liars, no matter what the reason".

"But he loves you" Kaitlynn retorted, he then turned to Fae, "You know what you have to do?".

"Go to school and if Stefan's there, keep him distracted and make sure he doesn't ask any questions about Caroline's whereabouts" Fae replied.

"Good" Kaitlynn said.

"Why are you so sure Stefan's going to be at school?" Caroline asked, "He's been skipping for a few weeks now".

"Because I know your boyfriend Caroline, and I know he's going to force Stefan to attend school so he can keep an eye on you and make sure you're okay" Kaitlynn replied.

"You guys, I'm a terrible liar though" Fae complained.

"Then don't lie, just dodge the question of where Caroline and me are, just keep your lover boy busy for a while Fae" Kaitlynn said.

"Not my lover boy" Fae mumbled.

As the three girls arrived at the stairs that led them towards the tomb, they saw Elena standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Kaitlynn asked confused.

"I'm here for the same thing you three are here for" Elena replied, "Answers".

"You know, us lying to the brothers means that we know they won't approve of this, right?" Caroline asked, "So shouldn't we rethink this? I mean, Brayden and Damon, the two people who love trouble the most, are against talking to her".

"We have no other choice Caroline" Kaitlynn said, "Katherine's the only one who knows about Klaus and my past with Elijah, I need answers and against my better judgement I'm ready to talk to my manipulative sister".

As Kaitlynn and Elena walked downstairs, Fae and Caroline exchanged a worried look.

"If Brayden asks where I am, you have my full permission to tell him the truth" Caroline said.

"Got it" Fae said, as the two girls, followed Kaitlynn towards the tomb.

"Kaitlynn, I'm going to ask you this again, are you sure about this?" Caroline asked, as the four girls stood outside the tomb, "You're asking for the truth from someone who's probably never given it".

"I have to know how and why the bond between me and Elijah broke Caroline" Kaitlynn replied, "I'm hoping for once in her life Katherine decides to be a decent sister".

"Don't hold your breath" Fae commented, as Kaitlynn walked over to the tomb door and opened it.

After opening the tomb door, Kaitlynn looked inside the tomb, but found no sign of her sister, "Katerina?!" she called out, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!".

"Big sister, what a pleasant surprise" A weak Katherine said, slowly walking over to the girls, "You come to watch me wither away?", Katherine looked at Fae, "Goodbye, Fae".

"Don't go on the other side of the door" Fae warned the two vampires and human.

"Understood" Caroline whispered.

After giving the girls one last glance, Fae left the tomb.

"Do your little boyfriends know you're here?" Katherine asked the girls.

"I brought you some things" Elena said, ignoring Katherine question.

"You came to bribe me, what is it that you three want?" Katherine asked.

"The truth" Kaitlynn replied, "I want to know everything that I've forgotten Katherine, I want to know about me and Elijah".

"And I want you to tell me about Klaus" Elena stated.

Katherine ignored Elena and turned to Kaitlynn, "You've been busy".

"Did you know?" Kaitlynn asked, "About me and Elijah?".

"Of course I did" Katherine replied.

"And you didn't think to tell me?!" Kaitlynn snapped.

"No, Kaitlynn, I didn't" Katherine snapped back.

"I brought you this" Elena said, interrupting the sisters, holding a book, "It's your family history, it says in here that the family line ended with you and Kaitlynn, obviously, that's not true".

"You think that if you brought me some family keepsake that I'd open up?" Katherine asked.

"No, which is why we brought you this" Caroline replied, taking a bottle of blood out of her bag.

Seeing the blood, Katherine tried to lunge at Caroline, but she couldn't as the barrier stopped her.

"You don't look so good sister" Kaitlynn commented, taking the bottle from Caroline, "Not long now before your body shuts down, spoiler alert, shutting down is going to be extremely painful, so it's in your own benefit that you start talking, the more you talk, the more blood I give".

Katherine glared at her sister, then after a moment, she slid down the wall and sat on the floor, the other three girls following.

Kaitlynn poured a small amount of blood in a small cup, and using a stick, she handed it over to her sister, who gladly downed it.

"Glad to know that despite all the moral nonsense, you still have the Petrova fire" Katherine said.

"Start talking" Kaitlynn demanded.

"It's a long story, Klaus and I, you and Elijah" Katherine said, as Kaitlynn started pouring more blood, "Goes all the way back to England, 1492, after you and I left Bulgaria, or were thrown out".

"I remember that" Kaitlynn whispered, "I remember you and I getting kicked out, I remember arriving at England, but I don't remember meeting Klaus or Elijah, or anyone for that matter".

"You were thrown out?" Caroline asked shocked, as Kaitlynn gave Katherine more blood.

"My family, Elena's true ancestors, they disowned me and Kaitlynn, my indiscretions were not tolerated at that time" Katherine replied.

"She had a baby out of wedlock, and I supported her instead of disowning her, something not tolerated by our father" Kaitlynn informed the two confused girls.

"The shame" Katherine said sarcastically.

"It was kept secret" Elena realised.

"Mm-hm" Katherine said, "My baby was given away, me and Kaitlynn were banished to England and we had to learn to adjust, so we quickly became english".

"Which was not easy" Kaitlynn commented.

"It was there that me and Kaitlynn caught the eye of two nobleman named Klaus and Elijah" Katherine said, "While I was taken with Klaus, you, Kaitlynn fell in love with Elijah, but then it all went downhill once I found out what Klaus was, and what he wanted from us two, and then I ran like hell".

"Did Kaitlynn run with you?" Caroline asked curiously, knowing that Kaitlynn doesn't remember all that.

"No" Katherine replied, "Kaitlynn helped me run, but she stayed behind, for Elijah, the biggest mistake of your life Kait".

"So, what did Klaus want from you two?" Elena asked Katherine, before Kaitlynn could say anything.

"Same thing that he'll want from you and Caroline" Katherine replied, "He wants to break the curse".

"By sacrificing the Petrova doppelganger and the female soulmate" Caroline realised.

"He wanted to kill Kaitlynn, and drain every single drop of blood from my body" Katherine informed.

"How did Klaus know that me and Elijah were soulmates?" Kaitlynn asked curiously.

"Witches" Katherine replied, "As soon as we entered England, one of Klaus's witches had sensed what you meant to Elijah, so she told both Klaus and Elijah, and Elijah agreed to sacrifice you but only if there was a way to save your life".

"And was there?" Caroline asked curiously.

"I don't know" Katherine replied, "I ran away before we could find out".

***

After Brayden forced Stefan to go to school and make sure Caroline's okay, him and his twin entered the living room, where they left Rose, who was currently looking at a picture of her and Trevor and crying.

"All right, Rosebud, we need some answers" Damon stated, "Oh don't tell me you're crying because your buddy Trevor lost his head".

"You always been this sensitive?" Rose asked, wiping her tears.

"Don't mind him, he's never had friends of his own, that's why he can't comprehend the fact that others might actually have friends and are not lonely like him" Brayden replied.

"I'm not lonely" Damon snapped, he then turned to Rose, "A little vampire switch, you can pfft for this very reason, takes the emotion out of it".

"But after giving us answers" Brayden interjected.

"Yeah, you switch yours, I'll switch mine" Rose told Damon.

"Is that a dig?" Damon asked.

"It's an observation" Rose replied, "Being in love with your brother's ex-girlfriend, who happens to be someone else's soulmate must be difficult".

"And you are officially my new favorite person" Brayden said, amusement shown clearly on his face.

"I'm not in love with anyone" Damon snapped.

"Lies" Brayden said.

"You wanna try that again?" Rose asked.

Damon glared at Rose, "I can tolerate Brayden talking shit about me being in love with Kaitlynn, because he's my brother, you are no one, so don't get on my bad side".

"Then show me your good side" Rose said.

"He can't" Brayden said, "That's reserved only for Kaitlynn".

Damon grabbed a cushion and threw it as his twin, making him laugh, he then turned to Rose, "How do we find Klaus?" he asked.

"You don't find Klaus, he finds you" Rose replied.

"Don't give me that" Brayden said, "If Klaus is real, then there has to be a way to find him, someone, somewhere has to know something about him".

"Add another 200 somebodies to that and you're still not even close" Rose said.

"Humor us, you got in touch with Elijah, how'd you do it?" Damon asked.

"Through a very low somebody on the totem pole" Rose replied.

"Well, don't keep us bloody hanging" Brayden snapped.

"A guy named Slater in Richmond" Rose informed.

"Perfect, I'll drive" Damon said.

"No, you forget not all of us can do sun" Rose reminded.

"The windows of my car are UV protected" Brayden assured.

"You got your car back?" Damon asked.

"This morning" Brayden replied, "You can't even tell it's been in six accidents".

"You have a problem brother" Damon stated.

"Don't we all" Brayden said, he then turned to Rose, "Look, kidnapper girl, this is about the girl I love, I can't let her die, so you're going to get up your ass and take us to Slater, now".

"You know, I'm older then you, right?" Rose asked, "I can easily take you on".

"Go for it" Brayden replied, "I don't care about my life, I care about Caroline's, now chop, chop people!".

***

"Fae?" Stefan said, confused seeing the Bennett heretic leaning against his car.

"Hey" Fae whispered, giving Stefan a small smile, "Um, I thought school wasn't over yet?".

"It's not" Stefan replied, "But Caroline never came, and since Brayden's going to Richmond, I thought I should go check up on her".

"Yeah, Caroline decided she wanted a day off after being kidnapped and all, so we dropped her at her house instead" Fae lied, immediately guilt raised in her heart for lying to Stefan.

"Yeah, I get that, but I'm kind of worried about her, and I know if I don't check up on her Brayden will kill me" Stefan said.

"Yeah, sure, um, go ahead, we'll talk later" Fae said, walking away from the youngest Salvatore, realising she couldn't lie to him, she didn't have it in her.

"Fae, wait" Stefan said, holding Fae's wrist and stopping her from walking away, "What do you want to talk about?".

Fae faced Stefan, "I was hoping we could get lunch at the Grill, and talk, we haven't really talked since the masquerade ball, and I need you to know why I said what I said, because I know you Stefan, and I know you're thinking it's because of you, but it's not, it's something else, and I need to tell you what it is" she rambled.

"Okay" Stefan said simply.

"Okay?" Fae asked shocked.

"Okay, we'll go to the Grill" Stefan replied.

"Just like that?" Fae asked shocked.

"It's you Fae, I'll go anywhere with you" Stefan said.

"Don't" Fae warned, "Don't say stuff like that, it arises unknown feelings".

"You and me both know they're not unknown feelings Fae" Stefan said.

"Stefan--".

"Come on, I'll drive" Stefan interrupted.

"No talking until the Grill" Fae stated, "I need some time to get my thoughts clear".

"I'll put music on" Stefan promised.

"The Beatles?" Fae asked.

Stefan smiled, "Obviously".

***

"What does the Petrova bloodline and a female soulmate have to do with Klaus?" Elena asked, as Kaitlynn handed Katherine more blood.

"It's really tedious but--", Katherine drank the blood, "--the curse was bound by the sacrifice of Petrova blood and a female soulmate, witches are crafty with their spells, the doppelganger was created as a way to be able to undo the spell".

"What about the female soulmate?" Caroline replied.

"Soulmates have existed before any supernatural creature was born, they're not as rare as doppelgangers, but they can only be one pair of soulmates at a time, if Elijah and Kaitlynn were still together right now, you and Brayden wouldn't have been soulmates, but when you and Brayden met, Elijah and Kaitlynn had been away from each other for 500 years, so the universe broke their bond and gave it to you to two instead" Katherine explained.

 "Then why kill me?" Caroline asked confused, "What did killing me do?".

"I needed to confirm that you and Brayden were soulmates" Katherine replied, "You can only have a proper soulmate if you're the same species, like a human and a human, or a werewolf and a werewolf".

"A vampire and a vampire" Caroline realised.

"Exactly" Katherine said, "Ever since you've turned you've felt it haven't you? The urge to always stay close to Brayden? And when he leaves the tug in your heart? The agony you feel when you both fight? The desire to blood share? That's all part of the soulmate bond, and it's getting stronger the longer you two stay together, the same way Kaitlynn and Elijah's got weaker the more time they spent apart".

"So that's why someone turned me?" Kaitlynn asked, "If I was to be used in a sacrifice, I had be a vampire?".

Katherine nodded, "That's why Klaus turned you" she revealed.

"What?" Elena asked shocked.

"Klaus turned me?" Kaitlynn asked, in her mind she had been thinking that it was Elijah who turned her, but turns out she was wrong.

"After finding out that you helped me escape, Klaus fed you his blood and killed you in retaliation, and he told Elijah that you killed yourself because you didn't want to be used in a sacrifice, he even showed him your dead body, Elijah was so heartbroken that he didn't realise that you weren't dead but were in transition, and Klaus used that to his advantage, once you woke up, Klaus fed you human blood, and after turning you into a vampire, he compelled you to forget all about Elijah and your soulmate bond" Katherine revealed.

"Compelled?" Caroline asked shocked, "I thought vampires can't compel vampires".

"Originals have many special skills, one of them includes the ability to compel other vampires" Katherine revealed.

 "How do you know all this?" Kaitlynn asked, "You ran away".

"Trevor told me" Katherine replied simply.

"Then how did I end up in Bulgaria again?" Kaitlynn asked, "How did I reunite with you?".

"Klaus compelled you to tell him where our family is" Katherine revealed.

"Oh my god" Kaitlynn whispered shocked, "You told me that thieves did that".

"Once I realised you didn't remember anything, I decided to lie, it was easier that why" Katherine said.

"For who?" Kaitlynn asked, "For me or you? Because you knew, didn't you, that if I found out that I was someone's soulmate, I would do everything in my power to find him".

"Yes, Kaitlynn, I knew" Katherine said, "And at that time, I loved my sister, and her safety was my number one priority, keeping you away from Elijah, kept you far away from Klaus as well".

"So, where did that Katherine go?" Kaitlynn asked, "The one who used to care and love her sister?".

Katherine looked at Kaitlynn, "I still love you Kaitlynn, but we're not those girls anymore, we're vampires, and we show love in our own twisted way".

"I hate you" Kaitlynn said.

Katherine gave her sister a small smile, "No, you don't, trust me I know, because I tried hating you after you left in 1864, but I never could, you could never hate family".

***

"Now I see why you've gotten in six car accidents" Rose said, as the trio got out of Brayden's car, "You drive so recklessly, we nearly got into three accidents while coming here itself".

"Relax" Brayden said, "We're vampires, a car accident isn't going to kills us so get over it".

"Back entrance, how convenient" Damon commented, before Rose could say anything else to Brayden.

"That's the point, we can't all have little daylight rings" Rose reminded.

"Sucks to be you honestly, can't imagine not being out in the broad daylight" Brayden said.

"How do you know this Slater guy's even here?" Damon asked Rose.

"I called him, he's here, he's always here" Rose replied

"Good" Damon said, he then slammed Rose into a wall, "Just one thing, if you're setting me or my annoying little brother up in any way, I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat, something I'm very good at".

"Also, I'm only younger by three minutes" Brayden interjected.

Suddenly, Rose twisted Damon's arm and slammed him against Brayden's car.

"Hey!" Brayden yelled, "Did you miss the part where I told you it's freshly out of the workshop?!".

"That's what you're worried about?!" Damon yelled, still in Rose's hold.

"Oh, you'll be fine" Brayden said, leaning against the pillar and watching Rose and Damon in amusement.

"Like I told your brother Damon, I'm older than you two and stronger" Rose reminded, "Don't get on my bad side".

"You know, if I didn't have a girlfriend who I was madly in love with, I'd totally find that hot" Brayden commented, as Rose let go of Damon.

"You're a dick" Damon told his twin.

"And you're an idiot" Brayden said, "I genuinely think that when god was making us two, he decided to give all the brains to me".

Damon shoved Brayden in annoyance, making Brayden laugh.

"Now, now, big brother" Brayden said sarcastically, "No need to get angry".

"If you two are done, shall we?" Rose asked.

"Lead the way Rose" Damon said, after hitting the back of Brayden's head once again.

"Dick!" Brayden yelled, making Damon chuckle.

After their little debacle Rose, Damon and Brayden entered the coffee shop that Slater was supposed to be in.

"Whoa, what about the sunlight?" Damon asked Rose, pointing to the windows that were pouring sunlight.

"Brayden's car isn't the only thing with UV protection" Rose replied, "Those windows are doubled paned and tempered, UV rays can't penetrate, you see the appeal now?".

"That and the free Wi-Fi" Slater said, walking over to the trio.

"Oh, hey" Rose said, hugging Slater.

"Hey" Slater greeted.

"How are you?" Rose asked.

"Good" Slater replied, "I saw you come, what are you doing here?".

"That's a long story, but I want you to meet--".

Slater turned to the brothers, "Damon and Brayden Salvatore, the notorious Salvatore twins, turned 1864, Mystic Falls, by Katherine Pierce, aka Katerina Petrova".

"Wonderful, we have another stalker" Brayden mumbled.

Slater chuckled, "I'm not a stalker, I'm a just a vampire who knows a lot" he said, he then turned to Rose, "So I take it I was right? What I told you about the tomb under the church, is true?".

"Yes, it was right, thank you for the tip" Rose replied.

"Yeah" Slater said, he then turned to the brothers and forwarded his hand towards them, "It's nice to meet you".

Brayden made no effort in shaking Slater's hand, while Damon shook his hand while giving Rose a look, making Slater look at the brothers in uncertainty.

"Maybe" Slater said, "What's going on, Rose? Where's Trevor?".

"Oh dear" Brayden whispered, "Talk about awkward".

***

"Rose never ended up taking you back to Klaus, did she?" Elena asked, after Katherine informed the trio that after she ran from Klaus, Trevor told her to run to his cottage, where Rose was, and after finding out who Katherine is and what she did, Rose decided she was going to hand her back to Klaus and beg for his forgiveness.

"No" Katherine replied. "But not because she had a change of heart".

Katherine then proceeded to tell the the girls how she had stabbed herself, but Rose couldn't let her die so she then fed her blood, but Katherine wasn't giving up because she then hanged herself, turning herself into a vampire.

"You killed yourself?" Elena asked shocked.

"Klaus needed a human doppelganger" Katherine replied, "As a vampire, I was no longer any use to him, and no doppelganger, meant no soulmate sacrifice, meaning Kaitlynn got to live as well, that's why Klaus left Kaitlynn in Bulgaria".

"But it didn't work, you didn't really escape, you've been running from Klaus ever since" Elena said.

"Does Klaus want me dead as well?" Kaitlynn asked curiously.

"I underestimated his spirit for vengeance" Katherine told Elena, she then turned to Kaitlynn, "No, he doesn't want you dead, for him keeping you away from Elijah for eternity was your punishment", Katherine then turned back to Elena, "And living out of a suitcase is better than dying so that you could have your blood spilled over some silly rock", Katherine smirked seeing Elena and Caroline's worried faces, "What's wrong? You two afraid I'm right? You two don't wanna die? There's another way out", Katherine used her nail to pierce her wrist and draw out blood, "Better hurry Elena, if you turn into a vampire, you can save yourself and Caroline, your opportunity is going, going, going , and gone" she said, as her wrist healed, Katherine chuckled, "I made the other choice".

***

"Rose and Trevor spent the last 500 years running because you used them" Elena snapped, "Trevor just got killed".

"Never thought he would've lasted that long" Katherine admitted, going through the book about her family.

"You don't even care that you ruined their lives" Elena said.

"I was looking out for myself and my sister, Elena" Katherine snapped, "I will always look out for us two".

"You have a weird way of showing that" Kaitlynn mumbled.

"If I didn't care about you Kaitlynn, I would have told you about Elijah and watched you walk over to him and Klaus, right towards your death" Katherine said, she then turned to Elena, "If you're smart, you'll do the same".

***

"So, are we going to talk?" Stefan asked, as Fae ate her burger.

"I'm thinking" Fae replied.

"You're eating" Stefan retorted.

"I'm multitasking" Fae defended.

"Fae" Stefan warned.

Fae sighed, and put her burger down on the plate, "I love you" she said suddenly, shocking Stefan, "I'm always going to love you Stefan, there's no one in this world who can replace you in my heart".

"Fae--".

"Don't talk" Fae interrupted, "Please let me say what I want to say, and then you can talk, okay?".

Stefan nodded, "Okay".

"When I was little, my dad wasn't the best person, he was abusive towards both me and my mother, and due to that I grew up with pretty low self-esteem, I didn't think anyone would love me, I mean my own father didn't love me so why would anyone else" Fae said, tears in her eyes, "And then I turned into a vampire and I met you, and for the first time I felt like there was someone other my mother who loved me, for me, who wouldn't treat me like I was cursed or a mistake or a abomination, I let myself be happy with you Stefan, but I forgot that whenever I'm happy something bad happens, my father died, my mother died, and then that night I saw you and Brayden and Damon nearly die, and you can say that wasn't my fault, that it was Katherine who did all that, but she did it, because I was in love with you, my happiness nearly cost you and your brothers your lives, I'm cursed Stefan, and I love you enough to let you go to keep you safe from my curse".

Stefan shook his head, "I can't let you do that Fae" he said, tears in his eyes, "I can't let you give up on us".

"I don't want to" Fae cried, tears streaming down her face, "But being with me is going to get you killed".

"Being without you kills me Fae, not being with you" Stefan said.

"Why won't you understand, Stefan?" Fae said.

"Why won't you understand, Fae?" Stefan retorted, "I love you".

"You have to stop loving me" Fae whispered.

"I can't do that" Stefan admitted.

"Well, you have to" Fae stated, standing up.

Before Fae could walk away, Stefan stood up and grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

"I'm not going to stop loving you Fae, and I'm not going to let you walk away from us either" Stefan stated.

"Stefan--".

"Shh" Stefan said, placing a finger on Fae's lips, "I'm not giving up on us, I'm going to prove to you that you're not cursed Fae, I promise you that".

Stefan let go of Fae's wrist, he placed a kiss on her forehead, and after grabbing his bag, he walked out the Grill, leaving behind an emotional Fae.

***

"And you're sure Elijah's dead?" Slater asked.

"Beyond dead" Damon replied.

"Trevor was a good man" Slater said, as the group sat down on a table together, "Helped me with my dissertation on sexual deviance in the Baroque period, I was going for my psych Ph.D.".

"Slate's been in college since '74" Rose informed the twins, who weren't even slightly impressed.

"When I was turned, I have 18 degrees, three masters and four Ph.Ds." Slater bragged.

"The point?" Damon asked.

"Exactly, I mean, what is the point?" Slater asked, glaring at the twins, "What should I be doing with my eternity? If you have an answer, please enlighten me".

"Not college" Brayden replied simply.

"We need your help" Rose interrupted, not wanting Brayden or Damon to say something inappropriate, "If someone wanted to get in touch with Klaus, how'd you hook them up?".

"Craigslist" Slater replied.

"Really?" Damon asked, not believing Slater.

"Seriously, I respond to a personal ad that gets sent to somebody, who knows somebody who knows Elijah" Slater replied, "Who's dead, and that's where my connection ends".

***

"So how much of your little story is true?" Elena asked Katherine.

"Why would she lie?" Kaitlynn asked.

"Exactly, I have no reason to lie, Elena" Katherine replied, "I have no reason to do anything but sit here and read and rot".

"So you're back in town to help Klaus break the curse?" Caroline asked.

"You wanted to be the one to hand me and Caroline over to Klaus" Elena realised.

"Five hundred years on the run, I figured maybe he'd be willing to strike a deal" Katherine said.

"So the werewolf, Mason, he found the moonstone for you" Kaitlynn said.

"Right again" Katherine said.

"What else other then me and Elena are needed to break the curse?" Caroline asked curiously.

"Look who's getting smarter, Brayden's company must be effecting you" Katherine said.

"Answer the damn question" Kaitlynn snapped.

"It's not just me or Caroline or just the stone, is it?" Elena asked, "Otherwise there would be no reason to trigger Tyler Lockwood's werewolf curse".

"Witches and their spells" Katherine replied, "So many ingredients, so many people to sacrifice".

"So the sacrifice needs a werewolf" Caroline realised.

"Believe it or not, they're hard to come by" Katherine said.

"What else?" Elena asked.

"A witch to do the spell" Bonnie replied, "Mine bailed, but little Fae will do just fine".

"What else?" Elena asked.

"A vampire" Katherine replied, "I was going to turn Matt, but before I could, you guys locked me in here".

"So what Katherine?" Kaitlynn asked, "You were just gonna hand all these people over to their deaths?".

"Better they die than I" Katherine replied simply, walking back into the tomb.

***

"Here's what I don't get, Elijah moved around during the day" Damon said, "Which means the Original people knew the secret of the day ring, now, why would Klaus wanna lift the curse of the sun and the moon?".

"To keep the werewolves from lifting it" Slater replied, "If a vampire breaks the sun curse, then the werewolves are stuck with the curse of the moon forever and vice-versa".

"But werewolves are all but extinct" Rose said.

"Well, true, I've never seen one, but rumor has it--".

"Not a rumor" Brayden interrupted Slater.

"Mystic Falls?" Slater asked shocked, Brayden nodded in conformation, "God, I've got to visit this place, it sounds awesome".

"Yeah, if you find a town filled with death awesome, then sure come right along" Brayden said sarcastically.

"Wait, can we stop the curse from being broken at all?" Damon asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" Slater asked confused.

"Hypothetically, if we stop the moonstone from working, will that stop the curse from being broken?" Brayden asked.

"Well, yeah, probably, but why would you wanna do that?" Slater asked.

"Tell us how" Damon demanded, not answering Slater's question.

"You think I'm gonna help you figure out how to do something that will piss of an Original and keep me from walking in the sun?" Slater asked.

"Alright, listen here Slater" Brayden said, leaning forward, "Forget the Originals, you don't want to piss me off, so without the freaking attitude, tell us how to destroy the moonstone, or I will rip your heart out and feed it to you, infront of all these people".

Slater glared at Brayden, but before he could say anything, the windows of the café shattered, causing everyone to fall down.

Damon put a table cloth over Rose, protecting her from the sunlight, while Brayden looked up, trying to see who was behind the attack, but seeing no one suspicious looking.

"Let's go!" Damon yelled to his brother.

Brayden nodded and quickly the trio ran towards the parking lot.

"You're gonna be okay" Damon told Rose, putting her in the backseat.

"I know, I just--".

"Who the hell was behind that Rose?" Brayden asked.

"I don't know" Rose replied, "Where's Slater?".

"Iowa by now, who the hell knows?" Damon snapped.

"He's not behind this, he's a good guy, he wouldn't betray me" Rose defended.

"Then whose behind this?" Brayden snapped.

"It's Klaus, don't you understand?" Rose cried, "You don't know this man, we're dead, we're all dead".

Damon and Brayden exchanged a worried look, for the first time the notorious Salvatore twins were actually worried about a threat.

***

"She's not going to say anything else" Kaitlynn informed the two girls, "It's time to leave now".

Elena sighed, but nonetheless started packing her things, just as Stefan entered the tomb.

"Caroline, Kaitlynn!" Stefan yelled.

"Stefan, what are you doing here?" Elena asked confused.

"You're here too?" Stefan asked shocked.

"Did Fae spill?" Kaitlynn asked.

"No, she kept your secret" Stefan replied, "But it didn't take long to figure out what was so important that Caroline would lie to Brayden about".

"You three would have tried to stop us" Caroline defended.

"Listen to me you guys, whatever she said to you guys is a lie" Stefan said, "Do not listen to her, she is a liar".

"I don't think she's lying this time Stefan" Kaitlynn said.

"None of you have to worry" Stefan assured, "We're not gonna let anything happen to you guys".

"That's the problem" Caroline whispered, "You, Brayden and Damon care so much about us, that you won't care if you die saving us, I don't know about Elena, but I don't want to live, knowing you three died because of me".

"There's nothing you or your brothers can do, Stefan" Katherine said, walking over, "I haven't even told you the best part of the story, he killed them, my entire family, just to get back at me for running, whatever you do to escape Klaus, he will get his vengeance, on your friends, your family, on anyone that you've ever loved".

"Hey, do not listen to her" Stefan told Caroline and Elena.

"Always the protector" Katherine taunted, "But even you must realise that they're doomed, there's nothing you can do to stop it, unless, of course, you have this", Katherine held the moonstone up.

"What?" Elena asked confused.

"Oh, no, there it is" Stefan stated, "That's the ultimate lie, isn't it? You spun this whole thing so that we would have to get the stone from you, didn't you?".

"I didn't spin anything, Stefan, it's the truth" Katherine replied.

"No, let me guess" Stefan said, "You wanna trade that stone for your freedom? You manipulative, psychotic bitch".

Katherine scoffed, "My freedom?" she asked, "That's where you're wrong, Stefan, I don't want my freedom, because when Klaus shows up to kill us all and he will, I'll be in the tomb, where no vampire will enter because they can't get out, I'll be the safest psychotic bitch in town".

***

Damon entered the living room to see Kaitlynn sitting infront of the fireplace, looking down at a drawing of her, Katherine and their parents she found in the book about their family.

"The hotel kicked me and Fae out, apparently we over welcomed our stay" Kaitlynn informed, feeling Damon's presence behind, "So we're staying here now".

"Make yourself at home" Damon commented, pouring himself a drink, "Drink?".

"Yes, please" Kaitlynn said, Damon poured Kaitlynn a drink, he sat next to her and handed her the glass.

"You alright?" Damon asked.

"Nope" Kaitlynn replied, downing in the drink in once, "You?".

"No" Damon replied, also downing his drink in one.

"Heard today was bust for you and Brayden" Kaitlynn said.

"Heard today was emotional for you and Caroline" Damon retorted.

Kaitlynn sighed, "All this time, I had a soulmate who I didn't even remember, and I thought my parents were killed my thieves, turns out it was Klaus, I need a moment to let all that set in".

"What happens after it sets in?" Damon asked.

"Depends how I feel" Kaitlynn replied, "Will either fight through the pain, or will switch it off".

"If you turn it off, so will I" Damon said, "Emotions are overrated anyways".

Kaitlynn chuckled, "You can't, you have to save Caroline" she reminded.

"I thought she was your friend too" Damon said.

"She is" Kaitlynn said, "Which is why if I am going to turn it off, it'll be after I save her".

"Same" Damon said.

Kaitlynn looked at Damon, "I can't believe I'm having a heart to heart with the person who hates me the most".

"I don't hate you" Damon said, looking at Kaitlynn.

"Then?" Kaitlynn asked curiously.

"I dislike you" Damon replied.

Kaitlynn chuckled, "If it's any consolation, I dislike you too".

"Such a relief" Damon said sarcastically, "I was scared you were falling in love with me".

Kaitlynn chuckled and put her head on Damon's shoulder, "I'm tired" she whispered, staring at the fire infront of her.

"Sleep then" Damon said.

"No one finds out that I slept on your shoulder" Kaitlynn stated, her eyes slowly closing.

Damon looked at Kaitlynn's sleepy figure, "No will ever know" he promised.

***

Brayden entered his room, to see Caroline sitting on his bed, crying, Stefan already having filled both him and Damon in on everything Katherine told the girls.

"Princess" Brayden called out, but Caroline didn't acknowledge Brayden, she just kept crying, causing Brayden to sigh, he walked over to her, and kneeled infront of her, "Caroline".

"Don't ask me to talk about it" Caroline cried, "I can't"

"You have to princess, you can't keep all these emotions in, you're a vampire and currently the sadness you're feeling it's heightened immensely" Brayden said, "I'm not going to let you shut me out".

Caroline stood up and walked away from Brayden, her back towards the middle Salvatore, "I knew the truth wasn't going to be easy, but I didn't think it was going to be this hard, I want to live Brayden, but if I decide to fight Klaus, he's going to kill my family and friends, and you, I can't take that, I can't see you or my mom dead Brayden, I don't have it in me".

"I'm sorry" Brayden whispered, tears in his eyes seeing the girl he loves break down like this, "I'm so sorry Caroline".

Caroline faced Brayden, "This isn't your fault Brayden, it's no ones fault, that's the sad part Brayden, I want to blame someone for this, but I can't, because no one did this, no one made me your soulmate, no one told me to fall in love with you, I did that all by myself, and I don't regret it, if I was to back in time, I'd fall in love with you all over again, I just--I'm so scared Brayden, I'm so scared of dying, I--".

"Shh" Brayden said, bringing a sobbing Caroline into his embrace, "You're not going to die Caroline, I'm right here, and I'm not going to let you die".

"Klaus will kill you for trying to save me" Caroline sobbed, "If there's something that scares me more then me dying, it's you dying Brayden, I can't live without you".

"And I can't live without you" Brayden admitted, "We're both going to survive this Caroline, I need you to believe in me, that I will make sure we all come out of this alive".

"I believe you" Caroline sobbed, tightening her hold on Brayden and crying it out while Brayden simply let her, the seriousness of the situation officially settling in.

***

Presenting 2x09 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter? Quiet a long one, hope you guys like it!

Thoughts on Caroline, Kaitlynn and Elena going to Katherine for answers?

Thoughts on Klaus having turned Kaitlynn and made her forget Elijah as punishment for helping Katherine escape?

Thoughts Stefan and Fae's talk at the Grill?

Thoughts on Caroline breaking down after realising she might die?