She practically moaned when she freed her feet from her new shoes as she pulled her shirt from her head dropping it as she sensed someone near she shut her eyes listening intently as she moved closer to the door.

While she hadn't been dead or back that very long Kat still did have some pull in certain areas and that entailed enemies not many had been privy to the knowledge of her return except for one that had made her heart bitter.

The eye peep had been shielded making her suspicious she gathered her wits and swung open her apartment door feeling at the loose wooden framing just in case always the one to go to for a backup plan.

She felt her face form into a frown filled with bitterness, "I should have stayed dead," she muttered when she found him outside of her apartment for the third time that week.

She quickly shut the door on him but Elijah was too quick the door's edge landing on his chest as he fought his way in, "Katerina!" he cried as she squeezed the frame further hoping to kick him out.

"Don't call me that," she hissed when he finally made it inside shutting the door behind him forcefully setting himself against it as she eyed him.

"It is your name," he said more calmly as he slicked back his hair taking in the beauty that had sat in the back of his mind from what seemed to be the dawn of time.

Her chin came up as she took a step closer despising how casual he sounded, "It's Katherine to you," she said vehemently before locating her top and sliding it back on.

He spoke knowing full well she was ignoring the warmth flooding her as his eyes burned her skin, "I'm not your enemy," he reminded her woefully.

Kat snorted in an unladylike fashion, "You're not my anything," she said with a pointed look wishing she still had her heels on for extra confidence not that she needed it.

Elijah glowered his eyes drifting from her face down to the floor, "Don't say that," she barely heard him utter it, she was certain she would have missed it if she wasn't so insistent on hurting him.

"You forgot me," she said easily with a shrug her lips lifting, pursing with a tilt of her head, "Easily," she waved her hand for emphasis looking away from him.

She caught herself before she could give in reminding them both, "I was sick and dying," she said her voice stronger than she felt, "You didn't come." Kat grimaced.

He threw his head back rubbing his neck, "I tried," he reasoned but it felt to her more like a battle within himself making the decision for herself at once.

"No you didn't," she bit back coming towards him once more looking for every single thing she could use against him, "Don't lie," she advised, "It's not the honorable thing to do."

Elijah's eyes met hers then connecting creating a frission they always had, "I wanted to," he said wishing he had kept his head down instead of having her read through his cowardice.

"I crossed the veil and I watched you," she continued without interruption the edge in her voice spiteful and harsh as she appeared in front of him with a shove against the door.

"I was wrong," he claimed admitting defeat as he caught himself and her in his embrace trying to make her see him as the man he was, the one who still loved her.

She ignored the shiver down her spine at the look of adulation over his face licking her lips, "We both were but I won't mistake your reverence of me for true love ever again."

Elijah took two breaths to absorb her admission his hands slipping from her face down to his sides she took a long step back catching her breath.

"I'll be back," he promised as he found his way out of her apartment she exhaled a deep sigh she hadn't been aware she was holding until she heard the click of the door shut.