Summary: Elijah had thought leaving for New Orleans was the right thing to do. Not just for the sake of his family; but given Klaus's recent threats also for Katherine's. To protect her. Only for one moment to change everything. The moment when an argument leads Rebekah to tell him of Katherine's death - in the worst way possible. One moment and all his hopes, his dreams - his heart lay in ruin. Shattered.
Pairings: Elijah & Katherine! Slight hints of Hayley & Elijah (though ultimately onesided), also mentions Elijah & Céleste and Elijah & Tatia
Genres: Tragedy, Angst, Hurt/Comfort (emphasis on the former), Drama
Spoilers: TVD up to 5x11 & TO up to 1x12
Warnings: Character deaths (canon and non-canon)! There will be hints of depression and possibly OOC behavior. Some violence.
Author's Notes: I'm actually already working on a multi-chapter AU story dealing with Elijah finding out about Katherine's death - which in both, this oneshot and the other story actually happened at the end of "500 Years of Solitude" - but when I watched the 12th episode of The Originals I just had to write this, especially after that scene between Elijah and Bex, when he confronted her about her schemes!
This is actually just about the only of my TVD/TO stories in which Klaus & Hayley did in fact hook up, considering that overall I just never could see that happening given his obvious infatuation with Caroline at the time and the part Hayley had in the hybrid rebellion. It's also one of the only stories of mine in which Kol was killed in TVD season 4.
Considering that I'm already writing that multi-chapter story this was originally going to be a oneshot, but then I got stuck on the last part, so I decided to split it up because I was rather excited about this story and after the initial five months of actually writing I wanted to finally post it, so between the considerable length and trouble finishing the section toward the end this story became a three-shot. Anyways, enjoy reading! :)

Shattered

~oOo Part I: A Shocking Revelation oOo~

It had only been a few bare minutes following Rebekah's recovery from having been desiccated - from having been channeled by Papa Tunde, before she had run off with little thanks for their aid. Naturally. And, of course, her first and foremost concern turned out to be chasing down that little vampire, Thierry, to exact revenge, punishment for his betrayal of her, for fleeing rather than helping her upon being faced with a foe much more powerful than himself. He truly wished he could actually be surprised by this yet so typical behavior, but sadly it had become all too familiar, all too common place - it had truly come to be expected. Of all of them, really. Even himself, he supposed, although not without considerable regret. Hoping to talk some sense into his baby sister, to pacify her at least to some degree and discourage her from any further underhanded actions aimed at their brother, Elijah had taken it upon himself to find her. Granted, he had seen the need to first make a brief stop on the way to ensure Hayley's safe return to the family's compound before he dealt with Rebekah.

Yet, knowing his sister it hadn't taken too long for him to find her just as she was having quite a go at Thierry. With ease he took out the pesky little vampire, snapping his neck, before turning his attention to Rebekah herself. "I asked you to cease these petty moves against our family, and yet you still conspire against us with this fool. Is this what it's come to?" he wanted to know, his eyes not leaving his sister's face, "Making moves against your own blood?"

"Don't you try to shame me." Rebekah scoffed in response, all but expected outrage lacing her voice, "Nik grows more powerful by the day and you do nothing but encourage him!"

Elijah frowned, holding back a sigh, as he pointed out, "I offer him my counsel, because it is clear to me that he means to make the city our home again. Perhaps leading these derelicts," he briefly glanced dismissively down at Thierry, a frown upon his face and distaste slipping into his voice as he referred to the bunch of vampires his brother chose to surround himself with in his quest to be king, "will manage to curb some of his darker impulses. Perhaps it will even grant him some degree of happiness." while speaking he had looked back toward his sister.

As she listened and listened to Elijah, yet again defending their half-brother - and his own all but blind willingness to aid Nik in his schemes, regardless of consequences for or the interests of the rest of their dysfunctional family, Rebekah could feel her insides starting to boil with her frustrations. Frustrations that only her two remaining brothers could manage to elicit in her. And she'd had enough of it! "You always talk about Nik's happiness. But for a thousand years he has robbed me of any chance at my own. Just as he did to you! You may be foolish enough to be willing to keep looking past that. But what about me, Elijah? Am I not a concern for you?" she demanded to know, her anger further fanned by the moisture building in her eyes, furious tears that were threatening to break free.

"We all make sacrifices in the name of this family, Rebekah, but do know this. I will never stand against you or Niklaus." Elijah assured her, trying to reason with her as he moved closer to her. He intentionally refrained from reminding Rebekah of just what he had been willing to sacrifice for their brother over the years. From reminding her of the fact that for centuries he had put their family before everything else, even before the girl he loved more than words could ever possibly express. The girl he had, only a few short months ago, yet again forced himself to part from to aid Niklaus, to protect their brother's unborn child, even when said brother himself hadn't wanted to care. Even as Niklaus had taken the first chance he got to betray him. He knew involving Katerina in this matter would only serve to draw more of Rebekah's ire. He knew that if he were to take that path, he just might as well give up altogether and simply count his losses where his sister was concerned.

Rebekah's eyes narrowed angrily, now taking a step towards Elijah herself, "And what about Hayley?" she spat, daringly, fierce anger blazing in her eyes as she accused, "Nothing I conspire to do, none of my treachery will harm this family as much as your feelings for her!" she paused for the briefest moment, breathing heavily from the emotions coursing through her. She could feel the tears breaking forth, streaking down her face, but right about now she couldn't care less, too damn angry as to care. She swallowed hard, then she told him angrily, "You're a hypocrite, Elijah! You choose love over family and then you dare condemn me for doing the same."

There was a long moment of silence as Elijah was momentarily startled, taken aback by his sister's words, her accusations. Meanwhile Rebekah herself was taken by surprise by her own bluntness. She supposed, she could leave now, undoubtedly she had made her point, and yet something held her back. A need to truly drive her sentiments home, to make Elijah see himself for who he had become. And she wouldn't be a true Mikaelson if she didn't know, just as clearly as her brothers, what her siblings' weak spots were, which buttons to push just to inflict the most damage, pain upon them - and more importantly, a willingness to utilize that knowledge when provoked... It truly was rare for her to turn against Elijah, who was after all arguably her favorite brother. Hell, Elijah - the fact she cared so deeply for him, had been the sole reason why she had returned to this god forsaken town in the first place, why she had been willing to remain here. But there just was only so much disappointment, so much hurt and frustration she could cope with. First, Niklaus had practically disowned her for causing Elena to turn into a vampire, followed by a lengthy list of other misdeeds from dragging up her tragic relationship with Alexander and then daggering her, over getting Kol killed with his desire to get the cure, and ultimately betraying Elijah when the two of them had left for New Orleans. Then Marcel had betrayed her all too recently, choosing once again Nik over her. Granted, it had been she herself who had insisted Marcel swore loyalty to Nik following their failed attempt of taking him down, but she hadn't expected that it would mean she would de facto lose him. And now Elijah was doing the same, electing to put Nik's interests before everything else... Again. Happily following the all too familiar pattern repeated by them time and time again over the centuries of their life. Looking past their half-brother's actions, regardless of what Nik did. Forgiving any of Nik's transgressions in all but a heartbeat! All just because of an oath sworn too many lifetimes ago, and disregarded far too many times as to still hold any real meaning.

Which was why instead she remained rooted in place, right in front of her eldest living brother, her hands clenching into white-knuckled fists by her sides as she snapped, "You call yourself honorable, noble... Yet your foolish affections for Hayley even made you forsake your oh-so precious Katerina!" her voice turning harsher, almost taunting, with every word she spoke as years of bottled up anger, disappointment broke forth in the furious rage all but consuming her in this moment, faced yet again with Elijah's judgement while Niklaus remained beyond reproach. As always. "All those years ago, you betrayed Nik for Katherine - only for her to betray you in turn. And yet you kept pining for her for more than five centuries! Like a lovesick fool you went back to her, conspiring against us just to free her from Nik's rightful hunger for vengeance - you were willing to blackmail our brother, just so you could have her back, just to have that perfect happily ever after with her you've dreamed of for all those years! But here you are, forsaking her under the guise of family loyalty, only to chase after the next best pretty girl striking your fancy mere weeks after leaving Katherine." a sardonic chuckle escaped her, and she shook her head with dark amusement while adding, "Oh, and of course it couldn't be just any girl, no, it just had to be the girl carrying our brother's child no less! Not that dear Katherine will ever know about your rather less than honorable exploits since your parting. But I am rather curious, did you even care about her less than fortunate predicament, or were you just too preoccupied trying to woo Hayley as that it would have mattered, as to bother racing to her aid, or even contemplating doing as much? Or perhaps you truly just didn't care for her anymore."

Even as she was speaking, even as the words - this furious little tirade was spilling past her lips, part of her knew that she was crossing the line here. That she would probably come to regret this outburst, the pain she was quite knowingly in the process of inflicting upon her brother, rather sooner than later. Once her anger waned. Once she was truly faced with the damage she was doing this instant. And yet, right now she was just too damn angry as to give a bloody damn about the consequences!

Not even seeing Elijah's face fall was enough to stop her from continuing, instead she watched indifferently as his expression - only a moment ago so predictably, typically aloof and understanding even in the face of their family yet again breaking apart - faltered while she spoke, being replaced first by annoyance and confusion, and soon with obvious concern. It simply didn't matter to her.

As he listened to Rebekah ranting, venting her frustrations on him, Elijah's brows knitted into an ever deepening frown, growing more confused, more worried the more she said, unable to tamper down on the sickening feeling rising within him. He could feel his chest, his throat tightening with the growing unease at the all but instinctual impression that this hidden knowledge regarding Katherine which Rebekah was playing at, whatever it was, would leave him devastated if she chose to reveal it to him. Yet, even as this feeling, this suspicion rapidly strengthened, turning into an unwanted certainty, still he had to ask, "Rebekah, what are you talking about? What is this predicament Katerina is supposedly faced with?" he demanded to know, his tone wary and suspicious as he all but forced himself to make the words come out.

"She's dead, Elijah!" his sister gleefully, tauntingly announced, hurling the words at him with a vicious, almost sickening sense of satisfaction - a sentiment truly more to be expected of their half-brother rather than her, "Why do you think Nik has been in such a good mood since our return from Mystic Falls? Or, a better question yet, why do you think he and I made that trip in the first place!? Apparently, obnoxious little Elena succeeded where our dear brother failed so miserably for all those years." another derisive little chuckle broke free at the thought of how this little fact may have dampened Nik's malicious joy over the recent events in Mystic Falls. Seeing her brother frown even more, the confusion on his face, in his eyes growing as he undoubtedly tried to make sense of what she was telling him, Rebekah smirked wickedly, "Oh, don't tell me you hadn't known, Elijah? Surely, Katherine must have reached out to you at some point after Elena used the cure on her... Then again, as I said before, perhaps you were just too damn busy with Hayley as to remember, or even care about your darlin' Katerina." in an afterthought she added, "Or maybe, you simply chose to put Nik before her just one time too many? I suppose, it really doesn't matter now, in the end..." she trailed off, still smirking coldly.

Elijah gave a stern, sharp shake of his head, refusing to believe this, "You are lying!" he accused, rage starting to boil up within him now as well as he snapped at her, "Is this your idea of retaliating against me, Rebekah!? To attempt causing me pain, just as you are doing to Niklaus by scheming against him!?" in his anger he shoved her rather harshly against the wall of one of the nearby buildings while speaking. He gave another shake of his head, unable to fathom that his sister would stoop to such lows just to get back at him for reprimanding her. That she would drag Katerina into this, that she would claim she was dead, just to hurt him. And yet, as he stared her down, searching her face for the truth, he almost wished that was truly all it was. A ploy to cause him pain. Because if it wasn't... He couldn't even bring himself to truly consider the alternative. He just couldn't allow himself to consider, even for a moment, that Katherine could be gone, that he might have lost her forever, while he had been too busy trying to mend - protect his dysfunctional family.

"No, I'm not lying. Katherine is dead, she is gone, Elijah!" Rebekah retorted darkly, glaring right back at her brother, "After you left her behind Katherine didn't leave town. She ended up running into Elena, who shoved the cure down her throat, turning her not only human but making her the cure. Nik may have been here in New Orleans, and yet your beloved Katerina spent the last few weeks of her life running, hunted by Silas until Damon fed her to him!" while speaking her lips curved up into a gleeful, wicked smirk again, her tone matching her expression as she continued, almost pleasantly, relishing this moment as she taunted her brother with the truth, all the while knowing the devastation she was causing with every word, "Though I'm afraid, if you think that was the end of it you're mistaken. Seems Katherine's luck had finally run out for good, 'cause she didn't get off that easy. She didn't die when Silas drained every last drop of blood from her body, she came back to life afterwards. And once she did, she rapidly aged, her body rapidly failing her until she succumbed to old age. It all happened so quickly, the external changes couldn't even keep up. I'm sure, as vain as Katherine was, at least she found some solace in retaining her beauty up to the bitter end, as she lay there dying, surrounded by her enemies, abandoned even by the man claiming to truly love her. And, if not, at least she had Stefan's arms to comfort her. Guess, karma really is a bitch, just like she was." as she spat those last few words Rebekah pushed her brother away from her, freeing herself from his hold with ease, Elijah being too shocked by her revelations, her claims as to make any effort to stop her. Yet, for one long moment she remained standing there, mere inches away from her brother, as she regarded him with a cold, hardened gaze. With utter indifference she noted how Elijah struggled with his emotions, trying to cling to his composure, his belief that she was lying about Katherine's demise, and yet she could see his hopes gradually dwindling away as his doubts grew, saw the shock and pain slowly seep through and outweigh his anger. Yet she didn't care one bit nor did she feel any regret over what she had done. Over revealing this devastating truth in such indifferent, harsh - and even outright cruel fashion. Over the pain she had undoubtedly caused her brother. If anything she felt a twisted - malicious sense of pride. At least in this very moment, though she knew it wouldn't last, certainly not for long. The guilt for inflicting such pain on Elijah would come, no doubt. In fact it would probably come rather sooner than later. But right now she didn't care. And so she turned, leaving him standing there.

Elijah made no attempt to stop his sister, too preoccupied with trying to comprehend what Rebekah had told him, her claims that Katherine was dead. It just couldn't be true... Katherine could not have died! Certainly not the way Rebekah had claimed she had. What was more, he refused to believe that something of this magnitude could have happened without him ever knowing, that he could ever possibly be so blindsided by anything. Nor could he believe that, even as angry and hurt as she must have undoubtedly been when he left her, Katherine wouldn't have reached out to him if she had in fact found herself faced with such a dire situation. And yet... He just couldn't cast aside the worry, the fear that had gripped him. Could Rebekah really have said the truth? Could he truly have been just too busy, too damn distracted here in New Orleans, as to be susceptible to Katherine's plight, her need for him? Was it really possible that she may have reached out to him, needing his help, and he had just failed to realize it?

Eventually he gave a sharp, angry shake of his head, pushing those thoughts aside. Katherine wasn't dead! She simply couldn't be! He simply refused to believe that Katerina Petrova, the girl who had outrun - outsmarted Niklaus for more than five centuries, and whom he had loved for just as many years had died. She simply couldn't have. Especially not of old age!

After continuing to stand there in the relatively quiet side street for another long moment, frozen in place by his thoughts, the undeniable shock, Elijah eventually moved, starting to walk.

For a long while he just meandered through the French Quarter rather aimlessly, too caught up in his troubled thoughts as to care much where he was going. All around him it seemed people, locals and tourists alike, were enjoying the nightlife of the city, partying, laughing - enjoying life like they had not a single care in the whole world. He paid them little mind, letting his surroundings, the people, the noise just fade away until it was all just a mere backdrop of blurred colors and shapes in motion; the laughter, the talking and music all around him fading into little more than white noise. He simply couldn't bring himself to care about those people and their lives, not even enough to begrudge them their happiness, their carefree demeanor. Their joy. Granted, in the depths of his mind a furious voice was nagging at him, unable to comprehend how these people could be so oblivious. In fact, part of him was outright offended, enraged that they could just go about their lives as usual while he could barely think straight from the worry - fear, the pain coursing through him, yet he was all too aware of the futility, the irrationality of that rage, or of even dwelling on its source. Because the fact remained that to anyone else around this was just another day, or rather just another night like any other. And not only was he not enough of an arrogant, self-centered fool, but he also had been around for far too long as to delude himself into thinking otherwise. Throughout a thousand years on this earth he had realized a very long time ago, that in the greater scheme of things the pain and sorrows, the personal demons of one person, wouldn't cause the world to simply stop from turning, it wouldn't cause those around you to just drop everything to express their sympathy over your plights, your anguish... Your own world might have just been shattered into millions of tiny bits and pieces, jagged shards that were ceaselessly piercing through you without mercy; everything around you may have been plunged into utter darkness by your despair, and yet to any outsiders none of it would cause even so much as a ripple in their own lives. Perhaps it was a rather jaded point of view, but over the course of his endless life he had just seen far too much apathy in the face of true, palpable suffering and injustice than to expect that somehow his own troubles would warrant an exception to that simple fact of life. This was just the way it had always been, and it would always remain that way, believing anything else would only prove an utopian delusion. Yet even so, even though he had accepted this reality long ago, he couldn't deny that right about now he found it untypically difficult to not take this indifference, the ignorance of the people around him personal. To not feel bothered, angered by it. Then again, his current troubles weren't related to just anyone... It wasn't about his siblings, or about the drama that seemed to inevitably follow them wherever they went. This was about Katherine, it was about his Katerina. And although he usually was a master at keeping things in perspective, at keeping his emotions in check, she was just too important to him - she just meant far too much to him as that he could retain the same level of detachment, which he generally displayed even in the face of major crises, when it came to her. Truthfully, he was fully aware that Katerina had always been among his greatest weak spots - even far more so than his family ever had been, as throughout his long life no other had ever had such a strong, unbreakable hold on him as she did, and he had admittedly always found it hard to remain entirely rational where Katerina was concerned.

Which was why before long he left the busy streets of the Quarter, the crowds of people behind, unable to bear all this cheerfulness around him any longer, as it only seemed to mock him, standing in such stark contrast to his troubled state of mind.

Eventually Elijah found himself back at the plantation. On his way toward the entrance he briefly paused, frowning slightly in thought as he glanced at the building which currently lay in complete silence and darkness as Niklaus had reclaimed their former home in the French Quarter and they had all taken to staying there. Yet, he didn't mind. In fact this circumstance suited him quite well if he was honest, as right about now - with everything that was on his mind, with his troubled thoughts, he was in no state for having to deal with other people, let alone for having to face his siblings. Or Hayley for that matter. No, right now he felt like the solitude offered by the plantation might be just what he currently needed. Perhaps some time by himself, along with the quiet, would help him to collect himself, to clear his mind and try to make sense of what Rebekah had said. If nothing else, at least by staying at the plantation he won't have to put up with his siblings' constant bickering, which he knew he wouldn't be able to endure right about now.

A moment later he opened the door and made his way inside. While heading toward the sitting room he didn't bother turning any of the lights on, considering that being a vampire the lack of light was no hinderance to his vision, and he also had no interest in drawing attention to the fact he had returned to the mansion. When he entered the spacious room he started toward one of the couches, although he momentarily paused at the drink cart, pouring himself a glass of bourbon before he went to sit upon the couch. After sitting down he took a sip of his drink. Slowly lowering the glass after a moment he sighed, his brows knitting into a deep frown as his mind kept drifting back to Katerina, back to the question what to do about Rebekah's claims.

Following a long while during which he simply sat there on the couch, slowly sipping his drink, he eventually took his cell phone out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He set the glass aside, then dialed Katherine's number, waiting impatiently - almost anxiously even - through the ringing of the phone for her to answer his call. However, instead of Katherine he only reached her voicemail.

He was already about to hang up with the intention to try again later but then changed his mind, instead lifting the phone back up upon deciding to leave a message after all, "Katerina, it's me." he didn't really feel any need to announce himself by name, as he knew she would undoubtedly recognize his voice, "I know, by choosing to go to New Orleans I hurt you, and I can understand why you would be upset, why you may not wish to speak to me. I just need to know you are alright... Safe. So, please, do call me back when you get this." all the while he kept his voice perfectly even, giving him the appearance of being just as calm and collected as usual, while he was doing his best to keep his composure. Still, he couldn't quite mask a faint twinge of concern as he spoke. After a long pause Elijah took a deep breath, about to say more - to tell her how sorry he was for causing her pain yet again, for leaving her after he had promised her they would have a future with each other. To tell her just how much he loved her, how much he was missing her every single day, every single moment that they were apart... But then he didn't and hung up instead, briefly closing his eyes, his head dropping as he lowered the phone. As much as he wanted Katerina to know these things, he didn't want to tell her over the phone - let alone tell her in a recorded message left on her phone's voicemail. No, he wanted to tell her these things in person, preferably face to face. And aside from that, for now his true priority was to assure himself that at least she was okay - alive, safe... He supposed that accomplishing at least that much - ascertaining that Katherine was alive and safe, would have to suffice for the time being.

Releasing a heavy sigh he placed his phone down on the coffee table, before leaning back into the cushions of the couch for a moment, just tilting his head back and briefly closing his eyes.

After he opened his eyes again he simply continued to sit there, once more lost in his thoughts, slowly sipping the remnants of his drink. It was only when he had finished his bourbon that he moved, getting up to refill his glass. Yet, once he had poured himself another drink, he didn't sit back down, instead starting to pace through the spacious room as he just couldn't shake this sense of restlessness that had taken hold of him ever since his confrontation with his sister. Undoubtedly it was a result, a manifestation of his worry for Katerina, his uncertainty regarding whether to believe Rebekah, or not. But even being aware of the source of this unease, this anxiousness, did nothing to alleviate those feelings.

Initially he had been resolved to wait until the next day - until he would've had a chance to clear his mind, before he would try once more to reach Katherine, in part due to the possibility that she might call back once she received his message. However, eventually he reached for his cell phone, picking it back up as he found it impossible, unbearable to just do nothing to determine Katherine's fate. One way or the other, he just had to know... And so he dialed her number once more. Yet with the same result; no answer. This time he didn't bother to leave a message. Still, he wouldn't be himself if he were to give up so easily, if failing initially were enough to dissuade him from trying again. After all, if it were that simple he would have given up on his family - on Niklaus, decades, perhaps even centuries ago, and would've just settled for finally living his life without all the drama, without all the unnecessary bloodshed. He would have put his own happiness first, he would have done everything to find Katherine sooner - he would have found a way to build a life with her... And none of this would have happened. If he had taken that path and had chosen Katherine over his family, he wouldn't have suddenly found himself in this situation, not knowing whether Katerina was even alive or not. But he simply wasn't the type to just give up, he never had been, and not even the many times his hopes had been disappointed had managed to change that. He sure as hell wouldn't start doing so now, he wouldn't start to just give up, especially not where Katherine was concerned. Which was why, after a few minutes, he tried her number once more.

When Katherine continued to not pick up her cell and also didn't call back herself, he eventually tried the number at her home in Richmond, where she had been staying when they had first reunited, when she had reached out to him after she had first heard of the cure. However, after only a few rings the call went to a recording telling him, "The number you have dialed is currently not in service. Please, check the number and try again." eliciting a heavy sigh from Elijah as he hung up.

Still pacing up and down in the living room, he kept trying to get in touch with Katherine, trying every single number he had for her multiple times. Always with the same result, either the call went to voicemail or he was told the number he was trying to reach was out of service. Or there was no answer at all, and the phone just kept on ringing. Yet, he didn't let this dissuade him, instead he continued to try. He wouldn't give up, he just couldn't... He kept telling himself - tried convincing himself that Katherine's failure to answer any of his calls didn't mean anything. It didn't automatically mean that Rebekah had been telling him the truth and something had in fact happened to her, let alone that Katherine was dead. Frankly, it wouldn't really surprise him if she had simply changed her number, a habit he knew Katherine had developed throughout all the years she had been on the run from Klaus, just like he knew she usually didn't remain in one place for too long. ... He was also quite aware that by leaving - by electing yet again to put his family before Katerina, before their relationship even when they had finally been presented with a chance of building a life together, he had hurt her deeply. And he knew that Katherine could be rather stubborn, which meant it was also quite possible that she simply didn't wish to talk with him and therefore was ignoring his calls, in which case he might as well wait for her to call him back once she was more inclined to forgive him.

However, no matter how insistently he tried to reassure himself, regardless of how desperately he tried to cling to his belief - hope that Katherine was alright, he just couldn't silence the doubts, the sheer panic nagging at the back of his mind. Which really was why he kept trying to reach her. Because it would only drive him completely mad to sit around, doing nothing, and just waiting for Katherine to hopefully call him back, or otherwise let him know she was okay. Not when every second, every minute that passed felt like a lifetime, ages... And so he kept trying and trying, occasionally taking a sip of bourbon.

A considerable while later he was just finishing his third drink as he tried once more Katherine's primary cell phone number, waiting for her to pick up. As the phone kept ringing he slowly lowered the now empty glass, frowning deeply. "Damnit, Katerina! Answer your damned phone." he grumbled under his breath, his voice almost a growl. It was hardly like him to curse as it stood in stark contrast to his well-mannered demeanor, which he prided himself on having retained to this day. But then again, this was anything but a typical evening - typical night. Truthfully, at this point he was on the verge of going out of his mind, his thoughts racing with his growing concerns for Katherine as he couldn't shake the fear that Rebekah's claims of her death could be true. When his call once again merely went to voicemail his brows knitted into a deep scowl and in a burst of frustration he flung his phone at the wall, watching indifferently as the device shattered upon hitting the wall, the pieces landing scattered on the ground.

He took a deep, unsteady breath then and momentarily closed his eyes, running a hand over his face as he did his best to calm himself and regain at least some measure of composure, before he eventually sank back down on the couch.

He simply remained sitting there, all but motionless, as the hours passed and dawn approached, his head in his hands, not knowing what to do. Which was yet another thing he wasn't accustomed to. Usually he had little trouble to think of a solution, or at least some course of action, to resolve a problem at hand, all but effortlessly keeping a clear head even when faced with considerably dire circumstances. But now... Now he was just at a complete loss, too wrapped up in - too overwhelmed by his thoughts, his emotions. All he could truly think of was Katherine, the possibility that he may have lost her. That he might never see her again. The mere thought was unbearable to him, and he knew - if what Rebekah had told him was in fact true, if Katerina was lost to him, it wouldn't merely break his heart ... it would utterly destroy him.

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading, I do hope you guys like the story so far. Obviously, feedback would be appreciated as I love hearing people's thoughts, so it would be awesome if you could take a moment to leave a review. :) Just no flames, please.
The next installment of the story will be posted next weekend, so keep an eye out for that. As for the final chapter, I'm still working on it, with hopes of finishing it to post the week after next, but I can't make any promises as I'm stuck in a semi-writer's block state these days it seems.