A/N: So, welcome to my first fanfiction ever! Thank you for embarking on this journey with me, but hold on tight because we are both in for a wild ride! I got this crazy plot in my head and I started just writing away frantically in my little notebook and, tada! A story was born. It's starts off with my own version of current plots and my own spin on different theories but soon it'll completely move away from that into a completely different story itself. It'll be good, I hope! This first chapter is a bit slow; I promise it will get more exciting! Let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Setting: Takes places right after 2x08 – the day after Damon confesses his love for Elena, and then compels her to forget.
Shadows
The past will always come back to haunt you…
Chapter 1: Curiosity Killed the Kat
Elena cautiously steps in through the elaborate doors of the Salvatore House, feeling nervous for reasons unknown to her. As she heads down the hall and turns into the parlor, she remembers the first time she had been in this house. The extravagance of it had completely blown her away. That had been also the first time she had met,
"Damon!"
The blue-eyed vampire, who was in the process of putting on his black leather jacket, looks up at Elena and greets her with a slight nod and casual smile.
As they make eye contact, Elena feels something catch in the back of her throat. Something feels odd. Why is she so impacted to see Damon?
She swallows and approaches him warily, "Are you going somewhere?"
Damon clears his throat.
"As a matter of fact, I am. I'm meeting up with someone who might give me some information about Katherine's history with Klaus and clues about her past."
Elena opens her mouth, perhaps to argue, but Damon beats her to it.
"Don't worry," he says with a smirk. "I'll be sure to tell you if I find out something important."
Elena gives him a small smile.
"It's like you read my mind."
Damon's lip twitches as he resists smiling.
"Can't do that yet."
Tearing his gaze off her, he turns to leave, but Elena suddenly grabs his arm.
Damon looks at their contact, surprised.
Elena quickly lets go but is openly gaping at him.
"I, um," Elena stutters. Looking right into his eyes, Elena regains her composure. "Thank you again Damon, for yesterday. For risking your life to save mine."
Completely emotionless, Damon replies, "I did it for my brother."
Elena is taken aback. She isn't sure why, but she feels bothered with his comment.
Someone loudly clears their throat behind them.
Damon and Elena both turn to see Rose standing there, giving them a questioning look.
"Ready Damon?" Rose asks with a raised eyebrow.
With one last glance at Elena, Damon nods and heads out with Rose.
Elena is left standing alone and unknowingly fidgets with her necklace.
"Hey, you alright?"
Elena lets out the breath she had been unaware she was holding in and rushes to Stefan's arms.
Stefan soothingly whispers to her.
"It's going to be alright Elena. I'm here. I'll always be here to protect you."
But Elena still feels afraid.
"Cute place."
Rose glares at Damon from across the table.
"Are you always this annoyingly sarcastic?"
Damon pretends to look offended. "I'm being completely serious! Just as serious as when I tell you that you have incredible eyes."
Rose suddenly feels like she's melting into liquid staring into those eyes.
The sound of feet shuffling and heavy breathing interrupts the moment.
"I'm sorry I'm late!"
Rose tears her eyes away from Damon and smiles.
"It's no problem. We just got here ourselves."
The man with the baby-face, mousy brown hair and who is wearing an ugly, big bland watch, gives Rose a solemn look.
"I'm so sorry…about Trevor."
Rose hangs her head and for a second, just a mere second, Damon sees the tears well up in her eyes.
But when she raises her head and gives the man a small smile, all traces of sadness are gone.
"Damon," she says smiling. "May I present to you Thomas. Thomas, the infamous Damon Salvatore."
Thomas wipes the sweat off his brow and extends a hand. "I've heard a lot about you Damon."
Damon gives him a menacing look as he shakes his hand. "Oh, I'm sure you have."
Although Thomas looks just the slightest bit intimidated, he confidently sits down.
Damon leans back in his chair, his hands clutched together.
"So, Thomas, why should I trust you? Why should I trust either of you?"
Thomas and Rose look at each other a bit nervously.
Rose leans in and with a wavering voice says, "I didn't and don't want to hurt Elena, Damon. I just want this to end. And even though Elijah is gone…the other originals aren't. When they find out I was involved in his death…"
Rose shivers and Thomas clasps his hand in hers gently.
"It's not just Elena who is in danger. It's all vampires. And…" Thomas glances at Rose.
"It's no fun living in fear."
Damon glances at their clasped hands and Thomas' longing look at Rose.
Damon refuses the urge to roll his eyes.
"Ok, ok. I don't really have much of a choice right now, as I need information. And answers. According to you, why are vampires in danger?"
Thomas takes out his laptop from his messenger bag and sets it on the table.
"The Originals aren't happy that they can no longer control the vampire population. They used to determine who would become a vampire but everything has obviously gotten out of hand. Now, anyone could be a vampire and the Originals don't like that at all. All this chaos they are trying to eliminate began with her, with Katerina Petrova."
Damon gives him a questioning look.
"How do you know all this?"
Thomas sits back and nervously straightens his tie.
"My great-grandfather spent his whole life living in fear that the Originals would come for him and kill him so, he researched. And I have compiled most of his research on this hard-drive."
Thomas takes out the small flash drive from his coat pocket.
"In the wrong hands, this little device here can cause much damage."
"But what exactly did he research?" Damon asked, his voice impatient.
Thomas tries to avoid looking directly into Damon's eyes; it evokes a small fear in him.
"The Petrova lineage. The Petrova doppelgangers."
"Doppelgangers?" Damon's eyes squinted skeptically, "Elena is the only one…"
"No," Thomas interrupts, a serious look on his face, "Not according to my grandfather and Rose herself."
Damon looks intently at Rose.
"Please elaborate."
Rose takes a sip of her coffee before clearing her throat, "Well, I was really good friends with Lexi…"
She takes a pause to glare at Damon who rolls his eyes.
"I'm sorry about that."
"No you're not, but it doesn't matter anymore. Anyway, Lexi had taken Stefan to a Bon Jovi concert. And in the audience Lexi saw Katerina."
"So? Katherine stalked Stefan. We all knew that."
"That's not what concerned me. What concerned me is that the same night, half a world away in Germany at the inauguration ball of an ambassador, I saw Katerina also. Now she might be a vampire, but it still would be physically impossible for her to be in two places at once."
Now they had Damon's attention.
"So are you trying to say that there is another…?"
Rose glances at Thomas, who once again, clears his throat and solemnly looks at Damon.
"I'm trying to say that there are three Petrova doppelgangers. Katerina, Elena and the very first one is actually named, Nikolina."
Damon gapes at the two.
"You've got to be kidding me! Is she a vampire also? Well, I guess she must be assuming she was born during Katherine's time…"
Damon's forehead furrows.
Rose quietly says, in almost a whisper, "But Elena is human, is she not?"
Damon stares out the window, concern written all over his face.
"She is."
Rose's eyes linger on Damon for a second before turning to Thomas again.
"Anything else you could share with us Thomas?"
Damon turns his head back around and sees Thomas hesitate.
"No, that's basically everything."
Rose and Damon give each other a knowing look.
Rose grabs Thomas' hand and squeezes it gently.
"Thanks Thomas. So much."
Thomas gives her a sweet smile and Rose stares at him intently.
"You will hand over the flash drive to Damon knowing that it is in safe hands. You will continue to live a normal human life, no longer feeling the need to obsess over your grandfather's research. And you will forget this meeting with Damon and I."
Before leaving a very confused Thomas with a very withered Rose, Damon is able to spot Rose latching back the big ugly watch on.
"How long has she been out?"
Stefan glances at the direction Alaric is looking at.
Elena is fast asleep, holding the Petrova book tightly in her grasp.
"Ever since we got back from school. She's been waiting anxiously for Damon and Rose to return from their meeting. I'm kind of worried myself. It's been a long time."
Alaric's brows furrow.
"Who is it that they were meeting with?"
Stefan shrugs his shoulders.
"I'm actually not very clear on it either. He supposedly had a grandfather who was rumored to be an alchemist and historian of some sorts."
Alaric and Stefan suddenly hear the door open.
"Speak of the devil." Alaric mumbles, unable to resist smiling as Damon makes his entrance. Damon throws them a wicked grin.
"Miss me brother?"
"Shh!"
Stefan nods toward the couch where the beauty lays asleep.
Damon's eyes linger just a second too long on her silhouette and Alaric catches Stefan giving Damon the quickest of glares.
"So, Damon, Rose, what news do you bring?"
Damon and Rose glance at each other.
"Not good news, that's for sure."
A groan is suddenly heard from the couch. Elena is tossing and turning, the book falls to the ground.
"Help me…"
Elena is running. She is running as fast as she can. She can still hear their footsteps but she can't let them catch up to her. She is out of breath and turns in a dark alley. She doesn't know how much longer she can go on.
She leans against the wall panting. Her usually perfectly straight hair hangs limp and wet and she is a complete damp mess. She glances down and notices her right sleeve of her blouse is torn and her light skirt is coated in mud. She strains her ears but doesn't hear anyone approaching.
"Maybe they are gone," she whispers to the wind.
She begins to peek around when a hand suddenly clamps over her mouth. Elena finds herself staring into strangely familiar brown eyes. A harsh whisper escapes lips that are eerily recognizable…but from where…?
"Твоето любопитство е това, което ще ни убие!"
Elena somehow understands the strange language and nods her head begging forgiveness from this girl. The girl gives her a smile that makes Elena shiver. She takes her hand away and reaches into her bodice to pull out a small package. She places it in Elena's hand. Elena is frightened, not because of the package, but because she realizes why this girl is so familiar. The person standing before Elena...is Elena herself.
"Katerina…exactly the same…. Убий!"
Stefan rushes over to calm her while Damon and Rose exchange knowing, worried glances. Damon looks over at Stefan who is comforting Elena and can't help but feel his heart ache. He turns his head and catches Rose looking at him with a knowing glance. He shrugs it off and gapes at her.
"That's Bulgarian right? What did she say…?"
Rose's forehead furrows.
"I think…I think she said 'kill'."
Damon's face turns stony grim and he ushers her out.
"If there really is another Petrova doppelganger," Damon whispers rapidly, "then she must be looking for Elena and Katherine also. We need to find someway to protect Elena."
Rose is staring at Damon as he is pacing around his dark bedroom. Damon feels her eyes on him and looks at her accusingly.
"What?"
"It must be hard being in love with your brothers girlfriend."
Damon smirks, "Please. I don't believe in love.'
Rose steps closer and glares at him.
"I'm a good 300 years older than you Damon, I think I know when someone is lying to me."
Damon opens his mouth to retort but Rose lifts a finger up to his lips.
"I just saw the person I cared most for in the whole world die, I know what real pain feels like. You don't need to lie to me but you don't need to open up to me either."
She catches herself staring at his lips and pulls back.
She turns to leave but Damon grabs her arm and turns her around.
"No, I won't open up to you. But…help me forget. Even if it's just for a little while."
Rose smiles.
Elena is reading the Petrova book as Caroline joins her on the couch with two glasses of water.
"How are you feeling?"
Elena sets the book down and takes the glass.
"Thank Care." She takes a small sip before sighing. "I feel fine. It was just a nightmare, nothing to worry about." She sighs again. "How much longer do you think Stefan will be out on his hunt?"
Caroline shrugs. "Maybe two more hours?"
Elena sets her glass down on the end table and throws the book down in frustration.
"I don't understand any of this."
Her face suddenly lights up.
"Maybe…maybe she knows."
Caroline raises an eyebrow. "She? As in…"
Elena nods. "I need to talk to her. I need to talk to Katherine."
Caroline looks at her in shock.
"No! No way Elena! Besides, she won't tell you anything, not without something in return."
"Yes she will Caroline!" Elena says eagerly. "I know she'll tell me something!"
Elena remembers her dream. "And…there's something I need to ask…"
"I'm sorry Elena but I can't and won't help you. Stefan would KILL me."
Elena stands up defiantly. "Then I know someone who will help me but please Caroline!" Elena grabs Caroline's arms gently. "Please don't tell Stefan where I'm at. Please."
Caroline sighs, "I promise Elena."
Elena runs up to Damon's room and is about to knock when the door suddenly opens. Damon's eyes open wide, clearly shocked to see her at his door. He remembers the promise he made to himself and pushes away the emotions he feels at her nearness. Elena can't help stare at his exposed chest but quickly catches herself and looks intently in his eyes. His ocean-blue eyes. Something flickers in his eyes…something that makes Elena wonder….
But it disappears as quickly as it flickered as he leans against the doorpost smirking.
"Can I help you with something Elena?"
"Actually yes." She moves forward to step in the room but Damon hesitates to move which confuses Elena.
"Damon? It's kind of a delicate subject…" The smirk disappears off his face and he looks up at her in almost hope.
"It's about Katherine," she quickly adds.
Elena hears movement coming from the room. She looks at Damon but he is emotionless.
"Is…someone in there?"
As if on cue, Damon retracts his arm and Rose appears with a slightly giddy smile.
"Elena!" Rose looks from Damon to Elena.
"Oh I'm sorry! Did I interrupt?"
Elena's eyes never leave Damon, as she replies, "No Of course not. I see you're busy Damon so I'll leave now. Sorry for…interrupting."
Elena quickly spins on her heel and leaves.
Rose sees the longing in Damon's eyes.
"You should go after her, ask her what she wanted."
Damon glares at her fiercely.
"You think I don't want to! That it's not killing me inside? But I can't. I won't get in the way. I won't force her between my brother and I. I won't."
Elena runs back into the main room where Caroline is waiting for her.
"Where is Damon? I thought you were asking him to help you."
Elena's face is grim.
"Damon is…busy." Caroline gives her a confused look.
"With Rose," Elena clarifies.
"Oh. That's…weird."
Elena looks at her oddly.
"Why is that weird? Damon is perfectly capable to woo any girl he wants."
Caroline sighs.
"Really Elena? You know why it's weird. It's so obvious by the way he looks at you and by his actions…He is totally in-"
Elena raises a hand to stop her from saying anymore.
"Caroline, please. We don't have time to discuss Damon's so-called feelings." She glances at the clock.
"I don't have much time left before Stefan gets back. Would you please help me? I have no one else…"
Caroline lets out a heavy sigh but stands up.
"I'm so gonna regret this…"
It's not long before Elena finds herself staring straight into darkness.
"Katherine?"
Nothing.
Caroline and Elena exchange worried glances.
"Let's just go Elena…maybe she turned into dust…"
"That's what you all wish…but…no. It's going to take more than just a little time shut in a dark tomb to rid of me."
Both Caroline and Elena hold their breath as they watch her emerge from the darkness.
First the brown eyes.
Those eyes. So full of hatred and evil and they look at Elena in a way that makes her shiver.
"Katherine."
Katherine leans against the tomb walls weakly but gives her a snarky smile.
"The one and only honey."
"Maybe I should call you Katerina…"
Katherine's eyebrows rise in surprise.
"Well, well…someone's done her research. Obviously, not all your questions were answered hence you coming here. But…. I'm not saying anything with the baby vamp here."
Caroline straightens up and glares at her.
"I'm not afraid of you Katherine."
Katherine just smirks at her.
"Keep telling yourself that newborn."
Elena nods to Caroline.
"I'll be okay. She can't hurt me. I won't take long."
Caroline sighs and with one last glare at Katherine she leaves.
Katherine groans.
"Ugh, new vampires annoy me to no end! Although…. you'd sure be interesting."
Elena finds herself shivering again.
"That's not what I'm here to talk about."
"Not yet at least," Katherine says with a shrug.
Elena lifts up the book Damon had given to her.
"I have your family book, about the Petrova history."
Again Katherine looks merely surprised.
"You continue to shock me Elena. How did you get that?"
"Damon found it…"
Katherine leans back weakly against the wall again.
"Oh Damon. So hot, but such a nuisance."
Elena furrows her eyebrows confused.
"If you never cared for him and really only wanted Stefan, why did you give him such hope and break his heart the way you did?"
Katherine gives a weak laugh.
"I could ask you the same question. But…I'm going to take a wild guess and say we are not here to discuss Damon? At least, I really hope not because I'll be retreating back…"
"No! You're right. It's just…this whole book is written in Bulgarian."
Katherine rolls her eyes.
"Of course it is. We're Bulgarian."
"We…?"
Katherine smirks.
"Yes we. Have you really not guessed it yet? We're related Elena. More closely than you can even imagine."
Elena feels her heart drop.
"What do you mean? How exactly are we related?"
"By blood."
"So…did you have a child…?"
Katherine's outburst of laughter turns into a coughing fit.
"Oh dear God prevent such a thing! No Elena. And don't even worry about translating the book just yet…soon you'll be able to just read it."
"What do you mean soon?"
Katherine squints her eyes and leans as close to Elena as the barrier will let her.
"Твоето любопитство е това, което ще ни убие."
Shocked, Elena steps back.
"Why did I understand that…?"
Katherine grins and claps her hands like a little schoolgirl.
"So your dreams are starting! This is fantastic. I'll be getting out of here sooner than I expected!"
Elena shakes her head fervently.
"No. No one is going to let you out…"
"Oh I think so Elena. And you will be the one to do it…you just won't be able to resist."
"No…"
"Until that time comes Elena…"
Katherine turns.
"No! Katherine wait! Katerina!"
Katherine halts and slowly turns her head around and says with a smile on her lips, "It's so nice to hear you call me that again…."
With one last look, she turns her head back around and fades into the darkness.
"Katherine! Come back! I still have questions! Come back…come back…"
Everything begins to spin and her own vision is becoming as black as the tomb and she is falling.
She prepares herself for the impact that never comes.
Strong arms lift her up and everything turns black.