A/N: Hey there!
To those who have read Love is Innocence: So here's the story as promised! Hope you like this and give it the same love you gave to LII. Don't worry, I will post the Epilogue. My muse is just not co-operating to write it, at present.
This story is based on a TV show of the same name. If any one of you have seen it you will recognise.
Disclaimer: This story is based on the series of the same name and the characters belong to the creators of 'The Vampire Diaries'. I don't own either of the series. No copyright infringement intended.
Full summary: Elena, a kind-hearted foster kid who cant catch a break. She finds out she has an identical twin sister, Kathrine, who unlike Elena was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. After their initial meeting, Kath talks Elena into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues a lead on their birth mother. Initially excited to do this favor for her sister, Elena soon learns that Kath has gone missing and could be in trouble. Now, Elena must decide whether to come clean to Kath's family or risk her own safety in the hope of uncovering her twin sisters true whereabouts, along with the truth about why they were separated in the first place.
EPOV
I jog back to my so-called 'home'. My mind clouded with so many thoughts. I just can't believe what all has happened in my life in last few months. Three months ago I found out I have a twin sister, Katherine Gilbert. She's the daughter of a well-known doctor, John Gilbert. She has all the comfort in her life, on the other hand, me. I live under foster care. My house changes whenever I get close enough to someone. Mostly I don't but when I do, it hurts. Well, mostly get horrible care-takers -like the one I live with presently- so there's no need to keep my heart guarded. But that's least of my problem, presently. The thought that is occupying my mind is why?
Why did I get to live here, in foster system? Why did I not get a life like Katherine? Don't get me wrong I love her. Even if I have known her for just 3 months. It's just that sometimes I can't stop these thought from bugging me.
I reach my 'home'. A small three room house. I kick off my shoes when I reach my room, starts to slip out of my tank top, when I notice Travis Boyle, my pea-eyed foster-brother, leering at me through an open window of my room.
"Hey, sis. Good run?" He asked even though I know he's not at all interested.
"I'm not your sister." I reply rudely. I don't like him at all. I don't think anyone does, except for Mrs. Boyle, her mother.
"Okay, foster-sister... Like that better, anyway. So many more possibilities." He says trying to be seductive but falling miserably.
"You are such a perv." I said disgusted even by the thought of it. Eww...
"And you so read things into what I say." He try to be innocent like he wasn't implying what I thought he was.
"I don't think so. Now if you don t mind..." I said annoyed as I reach to shut the blinds.
"Only if you close those blinds." He said with a toothy grin. I bang the window and shut the blind on his face.
I fall back on my bed, gazing up at the ceiling. I have painted the ceiling in day-glow stars, the only decoration in an otherwise drab bedroom. A sudden pinging causes me to bolt up. I open my laptop, linked to Skype. A face appears on my screen -a face identical to mine. This is Katherine Gilbert my newly-discovered twin sister. Kath is sitting in her upscale Mystic Falls bedroom.
"There you are. We just got back." Kath greets me as soon as we connect.
"Wait. Wait. Don't. Let me look at you. My twin sister. I still cannot get over this" I said still amassed how we could look so much alike. It's like looking in a mirror.
"Oh, it's been three months. Just get over it." She said rolling her eyes at me.
"I just can't wait to finally meet you." I tell her laughing at my stupidity to not be able to get over the fact that I have a twin,"Hey, and now that you're home-" I start but Kath cuts me off.
"I know, I know, I'm really excited, too, but you understand why we have to wait." She said sadly.
"Yeah, I know. You're searching for our real parents." I tell her that I understand.
"And if it wasn't for that search, I never would have found you."
"Yeah." I answer hesitantly. Kath senses it and asks,"What?"
"Just the couple... that adopted you... they sound really cool. I mean, they obviously love you." I told her what was on my mind.
"Then why did they lie to me?" Kath, noticeably disturbed, has leaned back her head on the bed post.
"Well, maybe they're just trying to protect you." I offer.
"No." She suddenly gets up, paces away. I can't see her on through the web-camera,"They want to protect themselves, okay?" She comes back in my view,"Sure, on the surface, they gave me this perfect life, and it's been great, but now I find out most of it was just a cover-up." She said and paused,"They lied; they knew that I had a twin and they didn't tell, why wouldn't they just tell me? You know why?" She asks and answers herself,"No, I'm going to tell you why. Because they did something horrible, Elena, but it's fine, because I'm back, and I'm on it, and soon enough, I'm going to find out the answers."
"Okay. I always say,'Hope is grief's best music.'" I tell her a line I read in some book.
"Wow, Elena, that's brilliant. You really got the smart half of the embryo, didn't you?" She asks.
"Actually, it s stolen from a book." I confess.
"Yeah, well, so when we do get together -guess who's going to do my homework for me?" She questions innocently and we both bust out laughing. There is a knock on my door and suddenly the door opens, I slam the laptop shut. Travis is standing there, hoping he's walked in on 'something'.
"Who are you talking to?" He asked.
"None of your business!" I tell him.
Doorbell ring and Laurel Gilbert, race for the front door across this marble-decked foyer. Laurel, Kath's younger sister, or step sister, is all sassy spunk and sarcasm. She opens the door to handsome-sexy-confident Luke Coburn. Luke, Kath's boyfriend, has always been the boy all the girls crush on.
"Hey, Laurel, welcome home. Kath here?" He greets her.
"Luke, I'm afraid I have bad news. Katherine was killed in a tragic barge accident on the Seine, making me the last available Gilbert female." Lauren tells his seriously with a sad look.
Jenna Gilbert, Kath's mother, rushes to the foyer having heard what her daughter just said,"Laurel, stop!" She turns to face Luke,"Luke, don't listen to her."
"Wouldn't think of it, Mrs. Gilbert" He says and greet her with a warm smile,"Welcome Home. How was Paris?" He asked.
"I had a wonderful time. Ah. Nearly perfect. Do you believe Katherine turned me down for our girls night out?" Jenna told him.
KPOV
"Don't start, Mom." I tell her when I cone out of my room.
"Hey." Luke said.
"Hey"I reply with a peck on his cheek."You can still go with Laurel." I tell 'mom'.
"Yeah, absolutely. Besides, I'm sure you and Luke have a lot of, you know 'catching up' to do." Lauren said making air quotes.
Laurel quickly spins from Kath's look-that-could-kill, passing the entering John Gilbert, on her way out. Ted's a plastic surgeon. Handsome, athletic, very confident.
"Hey, Luke." He greets my boyfriend.
"Hey. Nice to see you."
"Good summer?"
"Oh, it was pretty boring without Kath around" Luke answers cheesly. I just suppress the urge to roll my eyes so hardly.
"Okay, I'm gonna go, 'cause this is really weird." I say and grab Luke's hand to leave,"I'm going to Care's house; she's having a welcome home thing going for me." I tell my adopted parents so they won't disturb me while I am gone.
"Everything unpacked?" Jenna asked, trying to be motherly. I just bang the door and leave with Luke.
"Whoa, whoo!" Luke says and laughs when I force him out of the house to his Mustang, parked just inside the ornate gates. As soon we reach it he sweeps me into a soft kiss,"I missed you." He told me when we broke away.
"Me, too." I tell him, even though it isn't true. But I think I did a good job hiding it.
"Really? 'Cause I barely heard from you." Guess I didn't.
"I just... It was crazy busy, and I got distracted." I tell him lamely.
"But even before you left, you were acting kind of weird." Oh, look like he notices thing more that I thought he does.
"Look, it's just something I need to work out on my own." I tell him, knowing this will shut him up,"You get that, right? Okay, so, if it's okay, I need a girlfriend fix."
"See you tomorrow?" He asks. I nod my head already hurrying off toward my BMW, leaving Luke a bit unsettled.
"My mistake. Discussing things in front of the boyfriend." Jenna said when Katherine left, banging the door behind her. She paused a little before continuing,"I was just so hoping the trip, getting away-"
"Daughters pull away from their mothers. That's a natural part of growing up." John cut her before she could go sulking about everything.
"No," She said with a shook of her head,"It all started when we lied to her, that's when she pulled away. I don't know if we did the right thing." Jenna voiced her one of the biggest fears.
"We did the right thing," John assured her, warping his warm hand around her,"Never doubt that. We did all we could." Jenna leaned into his touch, so wanting to believe him.
EPOV
"Kind of a waste of time, isn't it?" He said. I just ignored him,"Your school doesn't even have a tennis team." He continued, not taking a hint that I wasn't interested in talking.
"And even if it did, what's the idea? Bash it hard enough, you escape this messed-up life?" He said and I got a little distracted and missed one shot. The ball went bouncing to Travis and he catches it in a first. He holds his hand out for me to take the ball. As I grab the ball he takes hold on my hand and yank me towards himself, trying to kiss me. I push him away with fury. And I could tell he didn't expect this.
"Don't you dare touch me!" I hiss from between my clenched teeth.
"Why not? Elena, you need to, like, accept your situation here. In my mind-" He starts but I cut him off rudely.
"You don't have a mind. There's five and a half inches between your ears, and it's basically empty." I tell him,"So just stay the hell away from me."
He was going to say something when his mother's, Clarice's, voice come from inside the house,"Elena, Travis, come in here! Now!" She shouts.
As we reached inside the house there stand a blackjack-dealer, my foster-mother, Clarice Boyle, shaking a hollowed-out book at me and Travis,"500 dollars, including a hundred-dollar tip signed by none other than Mr. Bruce Willis himself. Who got into my kitty?"She questioned with an accusing stare.
"Ma, I didn't even know you had a kitty." Travis said trying to be innocent.
"Elena?" Clarice threw a glare at me.
"Oh, I get it. I see what this is."
"Yeah, you're a klepto." He said to me, then turned to his mother and said,"Ma, check her backpack."
"Think I will." Clarice answered.
"Clarice, don't you get it? He took your money; he takes it all the time." I try to tell her the truth.
"'To my lucky penny, Clarice. Love, Bruce Willis.'" She read from the tip she found on my bag. Travis! Damn him! He must have put it in my bag!
"He took it." I try once again.
"You are so full of it." Travis said.
"Be quiet, both of you." Mrs. Boyle said in a high tone,"Social Services said if anything like this happens, I'm supposed to call the cops.
And that's just what I think I'm going to do." She informed us,"Watch her Travis." She instructs him before exiting the room.
KOPV
I was hugging Caroline "Care" Forbes, standing in Forbes back yard, sweeping lawn, pool, glowing fire pit, whatever you would like to call it. Care is one of my best friend. She is a blond with a perky personality. One thing is certain, if you are with her, you are easily distracted from your biggest problem.
"Ah, love it. The outfit, the hair. Good old Katherine." She shot as soon as we finish hugging,"We barely survived without you, right, Bon?"
"Somehow we managed." Bonnie said, making her way toward us from the other side of the garden. Bonnie "Bon" Mikaelson, other one of my best friend. Bon, carries a definite "anti" air about her. Nearly retro. Too-cool-to-gush about anything types.
"Hi." She said and took me in a hug.
"Hi." I replied.
"We just missed having our 'orifice'." Care said from behind us.
"Actually, that's 'oracle'." Bon corrected.
"I'm sure you guys were great without me." I tell them and they both roll their eyes.
"Hey, Care, how's your mom?" I asked her. Her mom just got promoted as a Sheriff.
"Oh, great." She said sarcastically,"All day in work. Barely see her. I think I don't even remember when was the last time I saw her." We all think she worked 24/7 as she wanted to get a higher position as she's a single mother.
"No change, in other words."
"See for yourself." She said pointing to the empty Forbes house.
"But hey, I am not going to let it get me down. School's about to start, Kath's back, all's right with the world." She said changing the topic.
"How's Klaus doing? You talk to him, right?" I asked Bon, allowing Care her wish.
Klaus, Bonnie's younger brother. He left the house when he found out that his father wasn't his really father. The man whom he thought was his father for 16 years, turns out wasn't his really father. He's with his mom now, in L.A. He's a really good friend of mine. And If I wasn't Bon's best friend I would have went after him. He's really cute.
"Occasionally. What about you?"
"Same. It seems like he like it in L.A." I tell her.
"Yeah. Time with our mom. Weird being the only kid now, I mean, with my dad." Bon said and both, I and Care, give her a sympathetic look. Her dad, Mikael Mikaelson, is a District attorney. He lives with Bon, and disapprove of Klaus being in L.A., and gets annoyed when Bon sends him money. He is best friends with my dad. Just like I am with Bon.
"Well, freaks me out Klaus would just leave like that. I mean, I get that he wants to be with your mom. But you and your brother were so close, Bon. And Kath, you three were like the Mouseketeers." Care chimed in. She still doesn't know about Mikael.
"I think you mean 'Musketeers'." I corrected.
"No. She means 'Mouseketeers'."Bon said and we all start laughing. Told ya, it is easy to loose hold of one's problem when Care's around.
The door bell rang and Care went to attend it. While she was gone Bon pulled out a picture of me and Klaus.
"Um I found it in the back of a drawer, and I don't recognize the place."
"This was up in the hills. Um hiking trip, I think. You must've been sick or something."
"So, I gotta ask you and Klaus you were never more than just friends, right?"
"Please. No. He's your brother. I mean, he's like my brother."
"Sorry. Just curious."
"It's okay."
EPOV
Headlights sweep into the front driveway. A Vegas Police Cruiser is arriving. A "Juvenile Division" decal is just below the county seal. Clarice trundled out to the officers.
"Thank you for coming,officers. Whatever I gotta sign, I'll sign. I'm pressing charges." We could hear Clarice saying to the officer. My heart was thumping loudly in my chest, trying to break-free.
"That didn't take long." Travis said turning towards me,"You know, I still might be able to help you here... Promise me a little action, I can make those cops go away..." He slides a hand down my arm and moves a little moves closer,"I mean, aren't you getting kind of close to three strikes?" Yeah, I hate to say this, but he's right. I can't afford this. I have to think fast.
I swinged the tennis racket out from behind my back and hit him hard in the face, sending him reeling.
"Bitch," He said and tried to reach for me again but I swinged the racket in base-ball-style, smashing him hard in his face. He screams in pain, falling into an end table, knocking over a lamp and plunging the room in darkness. Travis, bleeding badly, groans in pain, as the door flies open and the officers burst in.
"Police! Stop!" He shouts.
I, with a backpack in hand, flies out through the back slider, vaulting the gate, racing down a back alley. I can see flashlights and hear the cops trying to chase me. I jump a wall, landing in a vacant lot, weave through tumbleweeds, finds a dumpster to hide behind, just as red-and-blue POLICE FLASHERS light up the alley. A spotlight narrowly misses me and I wait until its clear, then runs off.
KOPV
"You just ditched him?"Bonnie asked.
"Luke can wait. I wanted to see my best friends." I tell them.
"But God, Luke's your boyfriend." Care said from beside us.
"I think I know that." I say a bit sarcastically.
"So do you want to break up with him, are you cheating, or both?" Bonnie, always the judgy.
"None of the above." I reply.
"So what is it? Come on, share." Care said, as usual interested for a new gossip.
"It's complicated... and... maybe the first thing I can't share with you guys." I tell them my phone starts ringing. I check it,"Better take this." I say and slip off across the back lawn.
"Sounds like family stuff." I heard Care said.
"It's always family stuff." Bonnie said and I could tell she is thinking of her own life.
I put some distance between them and me then answer the phone."Elena? What's up?" I ask in a low voice.
"I'm coming to Phoenix. Tonight. There's an all-night bus." Elena tells me.
"Whoa. Back up." I tell her.
"Look, my pervy foster-brother set me up and said I was stealing. I have nowhere else to go." I glance around, then slips into a trance like state, think what we would do now.
"Kath? Kath, you still there?" Elena asked.
"Yeah. Just thinking."
"I know that you said that you didn't want to spring this on your adopted family, but n-"
"No, it's okay. We'll work it out."
"What time does your bus get in?"
"Eight-fifty AM."
"Okay. I'll meet you at the station."
"Gotta go." Elena said in a hushed voice and I could the bus engine behind her.
A/N: So how was it? Did you liked it? I hope you do. Share your ideas. What will happen? Will their identity be reviled in? How will they work it out? Comment! You know I live for them.
Friendly advice: Don't watch 'The Lying Game' series. It was a real good series, no doubt there. But it's just it never got completed. The channel which it came on decided to just stop it at one point as they thought the new series ideas were better. The series completed 2 seasons and then just whoosh. And you know the worst part about it, they ended it in suspense. It was like CW ended TVD now and said we won't launch season 6 as we have new ideas. You can understand, right? But don't worry I am not gonna leave you all hanging. I will complete this.
I have rambled enough. Please review and tell me if I should continue this!
P.S.: This is the longest chapter I have ever written in my life!