The More Things Change
by Aivaeh

Disclaimer: Familiar characters, plot elements, dialogue, and settings belong to L.J. Smith, Julie Plec, and the CW. The author of this work of fanfiction has made no money from it.
Summary: I have no idea how it happened, but one morning I woke up in the world of The Vampire Diaries. Which, aside from the insanity of waking up inside a television show made real, might not be so bad—if I weren't stuck in the body of vampire magnet and doppelgänger herself, Elena Gilbert.
Pairing(s): OFC x Damon, OFC x Stefan, OFC x Elijah, OFC x Klaus
Rating: M
Warning(s): Graphic descriptions of violence on par with the show itself. References to sex and drug use. Mind control and all the issues of consent that go along with it. Character death.
Author's Note: This will probably be the last chapter I post before finals. Hope y'all enjoy it! Once again, thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows. They keep me going when the going gets tough with this thing.

Chapter Eighteen

Katherine's house was a modern-style two-story with way too much square footage. I wouldn't have been surprised to learn the Lockwood mansion was somewhere nearby judging by the rest of the houses and their impeccably landscaped lawns. Katherine's sat in the middle of a veritable football field surrounded by tall hedges. The house was almost abstract in appearance. It looked made of squares, insets and corners galore with floor to ceiling windows. A second story patio overlooked a huge swimming pool. I couldn't even imagine what all was going on inside. It was like something out of the Sims.

I wondered who she killed to get it. Because she had to have killed someone since Klaus walked right on in.

He turned on the entryway chandelier that looked like a hundred tiny mirrors hung high overhead. If I had to pick a single word to describe the place, it would've been open. Everything seemed exposed, as if the architect had forgotten to put in walls and settled for dark wooden columns, instead. The carpet was all white where there was carpet. And where there wasn't, there was marble.

Going with the minimal theme was the sharp lines and monochrome theme of the furniture. Everything looked less than a year old.

Our footsteps echoed as Klaus led me further inside until we passed the marble lining the entryway. He gazed around and 'hmmed' before motioning to the stairs. "Feel free to take Katerina's room." He leaned to the side to gaze down what served as a hallway between the columns, all the way to a grand game room featuring a pool table that led into the backyard. "I have a feeling you'll find more use for the items in her closet than I, and I've some things to take care of, yet."

I recognized the dismissal and nodded. As soon as his hand fell away from my arm, I walked as fast as I could without outright sprinting for the large staircase dominating the center of the otherwise open house.

Here was where the walls were at. I slipped quietly towards the back of the hall, figuring that was where the master bedroom would be, and where else would Katherine sleep? Opening the door at the very end, I discovered I was right.

This was the room with the huge glass windows overlooking the pool and the rest of the yard. A white king-sized bed dominated its center, a sitting area and a huge television to one side, and several doors off to what I was sure would be a bathroom and closet to the other. A quick glance revealed I was right. The closet could have doubled as a room all its own.

I stepped back into the bedroom, passing by the couch and chairs. Slipping off my shoes, I climbed onto the bed.

I spent the rest of the night in the same spot, knees hiked up, alternating between staring at the television with the sound muted and closing my eyes until the sun began to rise. I rushed through my shower, unsure what the day would bring. Hopefully, a few witches. Anything to make the latest version of my nightmare worth it.

Katherine's dressing room slash closet was myriad of choices. I finally found a pair of slacks and a simple knee-length shirt to wear after twenty minutes of searching through a plethora of dresses, skirts, and dress pants. Dressed and hair dried, I opened the door.

And found an Original blocking the doorway. Klaus had one hand pressed against each side of the frame. He was out of the fancier designer clothes he'd worn the night before and was dressed as I remembered from the show. Long sleeve tan shirt and dark jeans, beaded necklace clasped around his neck.

He was smirking. I was beginning to realize it was his default expression. "Sleep well?"

I glared for an instant before I remembered who I was giving attitude to. Self-preservation dictated that it was an excellent time to examine the room's plush carpeting. A passing thought found it odd that a vampire would pick white for her floor. I was surprised there weren't dozens of blood stains everywhere.

Klaus tapped the frame, drawing my attention back to him. "Come now. Don't be rude."

"You know I didn't."

"Night owl?" Klaus asked pleasantly.

I had no idea why he was attempting small talk. I opted to ignore it. "You'll free my friend today?"

"I said I would see to it." Klaus dropped an arm to lean to one side. "I sent for a few witches last night. They should arrive by this afternoon."

It was like he'd ordered them off Amazon.

Still, the thought of freeing Stefan before nightfall eased some of the tension I'd been carrying since Kathrine shut the door to the tomb. Not too much, though. I was still face-to-face with a psychotic, all-powerful vampire.

One who had a history with a certain Salvatore. I was going to have to address that before Klaus found out himself. I don't imagine paranoia and surprises mix too well.

"I've arranged breakfast," Klaus said as he straightened back up.

Given all that could imply, I hesitated to leave.

As if he'd read my mind, Klaus paused a few feet from my door to add, "Don't worry. No gas station attendants this time."

I clenched my jaw, knowing better than to speak. If the flash of a thin-lipped smile was anything to go by, Klaus approved. He started back down the hall. I was sure he expected me to follow.

I wasn't about to disappoint a near-immortal Original.

Breakfast passed in more awkward silence on my part. Afterwards, Klaus left me to my own devices while he disappeared off into one of the few downstairs rooms closed off from the rest of the floor. The only order he gave was to not leave the house. I was otherwise free to do as I pleased.

I texted Lexi, and after assuring her I was still fine and that Stefan would be free by tonight, I drifted to the couch. The knowledge Klaus was in a room right down the hall made it impossible to relax. The best I could do was find a few daytime gameshows. They didn't offer nearly enough distraction. Even a later episode of Maury Povich couldn't hold my attention. I waited, stiff backed and restless, for the sound of Klaus' reappearance.

It came in the middle of the reveal. Klaus strode past the living room, eyes fixed on the door. I held my breath, waiting and watching the Hybrid while the crowd on television erupted as Maury announced Chris wasn't the father.

A chime rang through the house right as Klaus pulled the door open. "Hello Gloria."

"Klaus."

Tall, with white hair cropped so close to her head she was nearly bald, Gloria stepped across the threshold like she owned it. It took a moment for me to remember her from the show. The owner of the bar in Chicago that Klaus, Stefan, and Rebekah had caroused at in the roaring twenties. And a powerful witch.

Into old-school voodoo. With bloodletting.

"Thank you for coming." Klaus guided her past the entryway.

Gloria's array of beaded bracelets clicked and clacked as she adjusted her purse higher up her shoulder. "How could I miss it? It's not every day you'd make the offer. What's so important that it couldn't wait?"

"Nothing exotic, I'm sorry to say," Klaus answered. "Just a barrier spell I need broken."

"What kind of barrier?"

"The kind powered by a celestial event."

Gloria glanced my way as they neared, and just as quickly dismissed me in favor of studying Klaus. "Might be tricky."

"I'm told it's already been dropped once. The witch who put it back in place wasn't working with a fully charged amulet."

"Still. Must be something more to it," Gloria insisted.

Klaus gave an enigmatic smile. "Always."

They disappeared down the hallway.

I settled back into the sofa, eyes on the television but not really watching. Gloria had bled Stefan and invaded his mind in the show. Now she'd be working to free him.

I tried to put the worry out of my mind, but daytime television wasn't doing much to help.

An hour and a half and a rerun of M.A.S.H. later, Klaus reappeared before the door chime had a chance to go off. This time, a younger woman was waiting on the other side. Tall and athletically built, she combined curly dark hair with a models' face. Big brown eyes stared with open adoration at Klaus.

Klaus' smile was smug. "Greta." He swept his hand to the side. "Lovely to see you."

"Klaus." After a quick glance at the foyer, her attention returned immediately to him as he shut the door. "I hope I'm not late."

"Not at all." His hand found a perch on her lower back, guiding her inside. "You're right on time." His attention shifted to me. "Elena. Best change into something more suitable for a walk through the woods."

I stood. "We're going?"

"As soon as you're ready." Klaus' next words were for Greta. "I'll fill you in while we wait."

As Klaus led her away, I took the stairs two at a time to hurry back to Katherine's room. Changing into something suitable for hiking was easier said than done when it came to her closet. Parisian runway at the height of fashion week? Check. Red carpet at a movie premier? Double check. Gown for a royal ball? Check, check, check. Old, worn jeans and a flannel? Nope.

Forget a pair of hiking boots.

I made do with a pair of designer jeans and a plain shirt I paired with a denim jacket. There was nothing for it as far as shoes went. For a woman who spent her undead life running, she had a strange lack of sneakers. I ended up with a pair of boots that looked inspired by steel-toed combat boots, just for the fact they didn't have heels.

They clomped down the stairs. Klaus, Gloria, and Greta were nowhere to be found. Restless, I tested the heavy feel of the boots, the way they hugged my calves, stiff leather and a plethora of too many buckles making them tight. I couldn't step in these things—they were made to stomp. I felt ridiculous. I consoled myself with the thought it'd be worse off in heels.

Besides, I had more pressing issues than inappropriate footwear.

Klaus, Greta, and Gloria appeared ten minutes later, the two witches bearing boxes that rattled with glass. Klaus led them to the door and directed us all through it and down the sidewalk to his SUV.

I was about to go sit in the back when Klaus said, "Up front, Elena." He fixed me with a look. "You know the way."

"Right," I cringed, stepping around the front of the car to the passenger side.

The way to the tomb was becoming one of my most well-known routes in Mystic Falls. Seated beside Klaus once again, I directed him through the town towards the old graveyard.

I still hadn't revealed Stefan was the friend trapped within the barrier and time was running out. Even so, I couldn't quite bring myself to tell him on the way there. I could have claimed it was the two witches in the backseat, one of whom had hurt Stefan and invaded his mind, that held my tongue. It'd be a lie. The truth was I hated the idea of being the one to sell Stefan out to Klaus.

But as we exited the SUV into a humid late afternoon, the time to stall had run out.

I led them between the worn and weather-beaten tombstones to the old crypt and the path beyond. The humidity was such that it wasn't long before my forehead was damp with sweat, even though the sun was long gone, hidden behind grey clouds. The forest was dim around us, even spooky despite the daytime hours, but I wasn't afraid of what lurked in the underbrush or back between the old trees.

I walked beside the scariest thing there.

"There's something you need to know," I finally started once we were past the halfway point of the old trail.

"More?" Klaus mused. He didn't look the slightest bit bothered by the humidity or the heat. In fact, he looked energetic.

"It's about the vampire in the tomb."

Klaus glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "Yes?"

"You know him." I took a deep before admitting, "Stefan Salvatore."

Klaus stopped, bringing our whole procession to a halt. "Stefan Salvatore," he repeated, quietly, his stare piercing mine.

I swallowed, and in a small voice that seemed to want to disappear as much as I did, answered, "Yes."

Klaus' stare was captivating in the way I imagined a wolf's might be. The stare itself doesn't force you to stay still so much as the terrifying thought of what will happen if you try moving. "Hmm."

His stare released me as he began moving. I was finally able to breathe, though my knees were still too weak to function. Greta and Gloria both gave me varying looks that said the same thing—that they were surprised I was still alive—as they moved past me.

"Elena," Klaus called.

I forced my knees to buck up as I hurried to join him.

The rest of the way was walked in silence. By the time the church's ruined foundations appeared, my nerves felt rubbed raw. "There are stairs," I said, leading them between what was left of the walls. I pointed them too the recently unearthed opening. "Here."

Klaus led the way down, looking over at me to make sure I followed right behind him.

"Ignea," Greta muttered at the bottom. A flame rose up in the palm of her hand, lighting the round chamber. The two vampires Katherine had killed lay forgotten where they had died, desiccated and rotting.

Gloria blew out a breath at the smell. "Nice place, Klaus."

"I did say it was a tomb," Klaus replied nonchalantly before stepping to the door. Klaus contemplated the giant stone and its markings before taking hold of either side.

He pulled it open with all the effort it would take me to lift an empty styrofoam cooler.

Once the darkness beyond was revealed, Klaus moved back. I rushed up to take his place. "Stefan?"

Barely a moment passed before he was there, face flickering in the firelight. I smiled, relieved to see that other than a slight slump to his shoulders and a tired look in his eyes, he was alright. I was half afraid I'd find him grey skinned and shriveled, like the other tomb vampires.

Pearl and Anna appeared behind him.

"So she did come back," Anna said, sounding as tired as she and Stefan looked.

"I told you she would," Stefan replied before mustering a small smile for me.

"Here." I pulled his phone and card from my pocket, holding them out to him. He took them as I added, "You'll want to text Lexi. She's been worried about you."

He nodded.

I felt movement behind me. "Hello, Stefan," Klaus greeted as he stepped up beside me.

The small smile fell from Stefan's face, replaced by a wary expression. "Elijah?"

Klaus' grin fell into a thin line. "Wrong brother."

Stefan's eyes darted to me before moving back to Klaus. "Niklaus."

"I prefer Klaus. Niklaus is so—old fashioned." Klaus' smile returned. "Must always keep up with the times."

"Klaus," Stefan said, respectful enough that I knew he'd taken my warnings to heart.

"I've heard of you," Pearl said, careful and considering as she examined him.

Klaus directed his smile at her. "Well, then. That should save us all some time." Klaus' stare returned to Stefan. "My friends here should have you out shortly."

While the vampires had been talking, Greta and Gloria had removed various glass jars and herbs from the boxes they'd carried. Now they were arranging them in a circle at the center of the room.

Klaus looked to them over his shoulder. "Won't you, dears?"

"It's just weak enough that this should work," Gloria affirmed. She then stepped forward, handing him a bag full of blood.

Klaus' smile grew. "Fantastic," he said as he accepted it. He turned to the trapped vampires before lightly tossing the bag to Stefan, who caught it. "Figured you might be hungry."

Stefan eyed the bag but shook his head. "I don't drink human blood."

Klaus' brow ticked up, but before he could say anything, Anna grabbed the bag from Stefan's hands and ripped it open, gulping half of it down.

Stefan winced.

As Anna passed the bag off to Pearl, wiping at her mouth with her sleeve, Klaus took my arm and moved us to the side. He spoke to Gloria and Greta. "I'll let you ladies get on with it, then."

Stefan eyed Klaus' hand, mouth pressing into a thin line.

"And what then?" Pearl asked.

Klaus shrugged. "You're free to go on your merry ways."

"Even me?" Stefan flatly questioned.

"Your freedom for Elena's cooperation. That's the deal." Klaus' smile turned the slightest bit smug. "You have quite the friend."

"And Elena goes back home?" Stefan asked.

Klaus' eyes narrowed. "She stays with me."

"You can't just take her away from her life," Stefan insisted. "People will notice."

"Actually, thanks to dear Katerina, they won't."

"Katherine is here?" Pearl asked, shocked.

"And compelled to stay," Klaus confirmed.

Pearl's eyes narrowed. "I would speak with my old friend." By the tone of her voice and the deadly gleam in her eyes, it was clear what the conversation would consist of.

Klaus shook his head. "As much as I sympathize, I'm afraid I have to insist she remain intact." He nodded towards me. "Katerina is still of use to me."

"And once you're finished with your business?" she asked.

Klaus' lips curled into a vicious smirk, "I'll be finished."

"Wait." Stefan stepped closer to the barrier. "Take me instead of Elena."

Klaus leaned back against the brick wall. "Sorry, mate. I'm pleased with my original arrangement."

Stefan glanced to me, and I could see him remembering our conversation. He knew Klaus had considered him a brother before erasing his memories. "Elena goes back to her life, and I do whatever you say."

"Vampire lackeys are a dime a dozen." Klaus was bluffing. Even had I not known better, Klaus' eyes betrayed him. They shone with interest. Sure enough, he proved it a moment later, "Although, the Ripper of Monterey—that is the kind of vampire I could make use of." Derision entered Klaus' voice as he added, "But not this—weak-blooded shadow currently before me."

Even though I knew it would come to this, I couldn't help the pit in my stomach that opened up.

Stefan stared at Klaus before nodding. "Alright. I pledge my service while drinking human blood again, and you let Elena go free."

"No. She remains with me. That is nonnegotiable. However, I'll allow you to remain at her side. A familiar face to act as a bodyguard." Klaus arched a brow.

"Stefan, no—"

"Done."

"Well," Klaus said, eyes gleaming, "hasn't this been a productive few days." He looked over to the witches. "How's it coming?"

"Almost finished," Greta answered.

Almost was ten minutes before Greta and Gloria were standing before one another, holding hands and chanting. The smell of the smoking herbs nearly enough to overpower the stench of rot and death from the corpses. Unlike Bree and her crystal, I couldn't tell what was happening with the magic, although there was a feeling of something different within the tomb after they'd started. But it was indistinct and hard to pinpoint. Like the shift in pressure before a thunderstorm, except this sensation crawled under the skin, made it itch.

Finally, the two witches let go. Gloria nodded to Klaus. "It's done."

Stefan pushed his hand out and was able to extend his whole arm.

The three vampires quickly stepped over where their invisible barrier had once been. As soon as they were free, Klaus smiled at me. "There. Just as agreed."

With Stefan sworn to drinking human blood for him, it hardly felt like a big victory. Still, I managed a nod.

"You're welcome," Klaus drawled before addressing Pearl. "Remember—no harm is to come to Katerina. Not while our business remains."

Pearl gave a short, shallow nod. "I understand."

Stefan turned to her. "You can still tell my brother the truth."

"The drama between you two and Katherine isn't my concern," Pearl frowned.

Stefan nodded. "I realize that. But it would deny Katherine an ally."

Pearl arched a brow but seemed to consider it. After a moment, she nodded. "Very well."

"Wait," I made to step forward, but was held back by Klaus. I frowned at his lowered brows and turned back to Stefan and Pearl. "This is going to devastate Damon." I turned pleading eyes on Klaus. "Let Stefan go with them."

Klaus' brows pinched together, mouth taking the slightest downward curve. "That was not part of our arrangement."

"I won't be gone long," Stefan promised, everything about him—his eyes, his voice, his bearing—was completely earnest as he addressed Klaus. "And I'll come right back."

Klaus stared, frown curving even deeper. "What guarantee do I have of that?"

"You have Elena," Stefan simply said.

Klaus studied Stefan, staring straight into his eyes. He moved forward, until he was standing in Stefan's personal space. "One hour." Klaus' head cocked as he shared Katherine's address. "I trust I don't need to waste my time with tedious threats of what I will do to you and everyone you care about should you not return."

"No." Stefan never blinked or took his eyes off Klaus, as if he were dealing with a wild animal. "Thank you."

Klaus grinned. "What are friends for?" He stepped back, taking hold of my arm once again.

With a final long look between us, Stefan broke off his stare with a nod in Klaus' direction before glancing at Pearl. She, Stefan, and Anna disappeared as they, presumably, sped away.

"Well," Klaus began, drawing my attention to him, "now that that's settled, we should get lunch. And afterwards," his gaze found Gloria, "settle the bill."

Gloria smiled. "Sounds good to me."

Klaus returned the smile. "Wonderful." Still holding my arm, he led us up the stairs and back into the grey afternoon.

It began sprinkling shortly before we reached the Grill. Klaus kept an umbrella in the car, which he had open and waiting as I climbed out the SUV. Taking my arm again, he held the umbrella overhead as the four of us walked the block to the Grill's door. Greta stayed close to his other side, while Gloria drifted along behind us, unconcerned with the rain.

Klaus only let go of my arm long enough to hold the door open for the three of us and to close the umbrella before stepping inside.

The Grill was sparse this time of day, a fact I was grateful for as Klaus' gaze roamed the room. A few teenagers were playing pool, but most of the clientele were adults eating a late lunch or grabbing a drink at the bar.

"We seat ourselves," I said.

Klaus led us to a booth near the back wall. He gave me the seat next to the window before sliding in beside me. Greta and Gloria took the bench across from us.

As they perused the menu, I wondered if Stefan and Pearl had reached Damon. I wondered if he'd try to deny what Pearl had to say. Refuse to believe them. How would they convince him?

A familiar face appearing beside our table drew me from my thoughts. "Hey, Elena."

"Vicki. Hi."

She studied the four of us, gaze curious. "What'll it be?"

Everyone had a variation of burger and fries. Gloria added a shake to the order.

"Bit old fashioned," Klaus remarked after Vicki took back the menus and walked away.

"What can I say." Gloria shrugged. "I'm an old-fashioned girl."

With that, the two began to talk about the 'good old days,' while Greta and I waited in silence for our food. It was a long twenty minutes, mostly filled with worrying over Damon and Stefan, avoiding Greta's curious eye, and looking out the window as the rain pattered the glass.

I wasn't very hungry when the food arrived but made myself eat at least half of the burger. I didn't want to find out what Klaus would do if he thought I was neglecting my health. Not that it really mattered, so long as I was alive to kill, but who knew with the temperamental hybrid. Besides, this wasn't my body. I had an obligation to at least try to keep it whole and healthy.

I was still the first one done and waited for the others. Thankfully, it seemed magic worked up an appetite because Greta and Gloria were finished not long after I was. Klaus ended up taking the longest—though I don't know what was so special about the Grill's hamburgers that he appeared to want to savor the taste. It hadn't been that good.

It wasn't long before Klaus finally finished his that Vicki reappeared at our side.

"Anything else?"

"As a matter of fact," Klaus waited until Vicki met his stare, "I'd like for you to leave early and follow us to two-oh-seven Ferry lane. You know where that is?"

"I know where," Vicki replied, voice flat and robotic.

"Good." Klaus tossed some cash onto the table as Vicki blinked, as if she were just waking up.

"Excuse me," she said, hands moving behind her as she worked to untie her serving apron.

My pulse picked up, and blood rushed through my ears. "What are you doing?"

"Just a little snack for later," Klaus replied as he slid out of the booth.

The sound of the attendant's blood flowing into a cup echoed in my head. "You can't kill Vicki!"

Klaus cocked a brow at me as he stood and held out a hand.

I refused to take it. Klaus' lips pressed into a tight frown before he grabbed my arm and pulled me across the seat and up beside him. "Don't be difficult now that you've gotten what you asked for," he warned.

I clenched my teeth, hands curling into fists. My sights swept the room, as if to look for help. Which was ridiculous of me. No one could help me.

But just as the thought occurred to me, out the corner of my eye, seated at the bar, was the jacket-clad back of another familiar face from the show. Alaric Saltzman stared off at the liquor-filled shelves behind the bar, drink in one hand with a bottle placed right beside him. It was clear he hadn't shaved for days, and his hair was a complete mess. It didn't seem as if he cared about anything other than the bottom of his glass and whatever nightmare was playing out behind his eyes.

Klaus was pulling me along through the Grill, while I continued to steal glances at Ric. I tried to think of a way to draw his attention, hint that something was wrong.

Then I realized he had no idea who I was, who Klaus was, who anyone in the town was. That he'd probably just come to claim his dead wife's body.

My hope was snuffed out as easily as candlelight as Klaus led me out the door and into the rain.

Stefan was sitting on the house's front steps as Klaus pulled into the driveway. He stood as the SUV rolled to a stop.

Klaus got out, a pleased grin on his face. "And there he is."

I hurried out of the SUV as another car pulled up the driveway. Gloria and Greta exited much calmer.

Klaus strode up to Stefan. Stefan alternated looking between me, Klaus, and the new car. Vicki pulled to a stop. Klaus watched Vicki standing from her Toyota with an expectant look on his face. "And there she is."

A terrible foreboding chilled me to the core. I ground my teeth in frustration. Not being able to do anything to stop Klaus—I loathed being so useless. I changed course from heading to the sidewalk to intercept Vicki. "Vicki, don't."

"I followed you out here," she said, brows furrowed.

I shifted on my feet before grabbing her shoulders. "Go back to work."

Vicki's confusion hardened into obstinance. Derision steeled her gaze as she wrenched out of my grip. "Don't tell me what to do, Elena."

I stared, shocked. "Vicki—" She knocked into my shoulder, shoving me back as she walked past me. I spun about and lunged for her arm. "He's going to kill you!"

Vicki scoffed at me before yanking her arm back.

Klaus, watching us, started to chuckle. I clenched my fists so hard my nails broke the skin of my palms. Klaus smirked at me as Vicki reached them.

"Why don't you join us inside?" Klaus suggested, tone pleasant. Even charming.

I sprinted up the sidewalk. "Don't!"

But it was as if she was determined to do the opposite of anything I said. "Sure," Vicki told Klaus.

I was about to say more—who walks into a stranger's house?—but Stefan caught my upper arm. Soon as he had my attention, he shook his head.

I squeezed my eyes shut, furious and helpless. He squeezed my upper arm and then lightly pulled me after Vicki and Klaus. I didn't want to follow them inside, but this time it was Stefan that left me no choice.

"Nice place," Vicki said as she looked around.

Stefan's gaze swept over the home's layout with a much sharper eye, lingering on the windows and doors. We moved aside as Greta and Gloria followed us in.

"Nice as it's been to catch up, I'm not interested in the after-dinner show," Gloria said. She pulled a bottle out from her purse and held it out.

Klaus took it. "Of course." He wandered away, to the island in the kitchen that held a restaurant-grade sink. Extending his arm over it, he picked up a nearby knife and ran it over his wrist.

Vicki eyed Klaus with growing discomfort. "What the hell?"

Klaus glanced over. "Stefan, make sure our guest doesn't leave anytime soon."

Stefan's lips pressed into a thin line as he moved between Vicki and the door. The pit in my stomach grew all the deeper. Vicki looked to me, but all I could do was meet the burgeoning fear in her eyes with grim fatalism. Vicki's fate was sealed the instant she entered the house instead of driving off as fast as she could. I wanted to look away, to go to the room Klaus had granted me, but I refused to take the cowardly way out.

She shouldn't die alone amongst monsters.

"What's going on?" Vicki asked, a quavering note entering her voice, searching each of our faces in turn.

I looked to Stefan, but he refused to meet my eyes.

Klaus finished filling the bottle and walked over to Gloria. "I trust that makes us even."

Gloria took a handkerchief from her purse and wiped off the excess blood on the outside before smiling up at him. "It does. You'll let me know when that curse is broken?"

"Of course," Klaus promised. "Let me escort you out."

"Mind if I look around?" Greta asked as Klaus showed Gloria to the door.

"Not at all," Klaus answered before pulling open the door and standing aside for Gloria. "Make yourself at home."

Vicki bolted ahead, only to be intercepted by Stefan. "Let me go!" she demanded, voice hard but high. She tried jerking out of his hold to no avail. She lifted her fists, tried to shove his arms off her. Stefan, stone-faced, didn't budge.

Gloria walked outside with a farewell before Klaus closed the door. Greta, meanwhile, made for the living room with the oversized television.

"Why don't you go with her?" Stefan suggested to me.

I shook my head.

"Elena," Stefan insisted while Vicki cursed him and kicked his leg.

Klaus hummed a laugh. "Let her go."

Stefan immediately did so. Vicki hurried around him and grabbed the doorknob, twisting it and yanking the door open.

Unfortunately, this put her right next to Klaus.

Without his wolf being free, his eyes were as red as any other vampire's. They gleamed with excitement as he caught Vicki by the upper arm when she made to run out past the front door. Vicki shouted, a wordless, broken sob that brought tears to my eyes. Klaus let out an animalistic growl before violently yanking her head to the side by her hair and biting down into her neck.

I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away. Even so, I couldn't keep out the pained noises Vicki made.

It was another eternal minute before Klaus said, "Hungry?"

Vicki sobbed.

"No," Stefan answered.

I opened my eyes again in time to see Klaus, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth, smile. "Liar."

"Let me go," Vicki begged.

Klaus shushed her and ran a hand down her hair. His red eyes stared at Stefan. "Go on, mate." Vicki suddenly let out a yell of pain as Klaus shifted his hold on her arm. "Or I'll make it even more unpleasant."

Stefan's chest rose and fell, his breath coming in fast pants though he was trying to hide it. The dark veins beneath his eyes kept pulsing, trying to crawl up. His expression was utterly blank, but his still-green eyes were filled with anguish. Whether because of the situation, or how hungry he was, I couldn't tell.

Suddenly Klaus shoved Vicki forward. She screamed in a combination of pain and fury as Stefan caught her. Even as she pleaded with him to let her go, Stefan lost the battle with the veins beneath his eyes. The blood filled the whites of his eyes, and his green irises darkened to a deep ruby red. "I'm sorry," he muttered, fangs bared beneath his upper lip.

Vicki screamed as he struck, quick as a snake.

My horrified sights found Klaus, dark blue eyes bright with pleasure and a satisfied little smile on his face. As soon as he noticed my stare, his smile turned into a crooked smirk. His gaze darted back to Stefan as he said, "Every last drop."

Stefan growled. Vicki's voice weakened to whimpers.

And then nothing.

Stefan dropped her. Her body thudded against the floor, head bouncing off the marble tiles.

I fell into a crouch beside her, grabbing her hand to press my fingers against her wrist. I waited, anxious, and pressed as hard as I dared. Nothing. I shifted my fingers, pressing harder, until the skin beneath them paled. Frantic, I let go of her wrist, letting her hand flop to the ground, and tried the pulse point on the unbloodied side of her neck.

Nothing.

I thought for an instant of trying CPR but realized there was no point. Not without an immediate blood transfusion.

A buzz sounded in my skull. I sat back without feeling totally connected to Elena's body. I wondered if my spirit was about to leave it again.

Klaus' voice broke through the white noise in my ears. "Take care of it."

I was pulled up off the ground. Klaus led me away from Vicki as Stefan stooped down to scoop her body up into his arms, bridal style.

Klaus was pulling me along to the staircase when Greta appeared from the living room. "Where's the remote?"

Numb, I turned dull eyes to her. She looked utterly unconcerned with the murder that had just taken place not twenty feet away. "On the side table," I muttered.

Greta nodded and turned back towards the couch.

Klaus continued guiding me up the stairs and back to Katherine's room. I stopped, unsure what to do, just past the door. He forced my chin up to make our eyes meet. "No leaving the property. Am I clear?"

"Yes," I whispered.

Klaus smiled until his eyes crinkled. "Such an obedient girl."

The approval in his voice sparked the first solid sensation in the pit of my stomach. Nausea.

Klaus dropped his hand and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I wandered over to the edge of the bed and sat down.

A part of me expected tears to fall. The rest wondered what it said about me when they didn't.

I spent the rest of the day in Katherine's room, listening to the hum of the television downstairs until even that went silent.

Stefan never came to check on me. I can't say I was surprised. Or disappointed.

I hadn't really done much except lay on the bed, wishing I could slip into unconsciousness. It wasn't as if my thoughts raced—which was the usual problem when I couldn't sleep. Instead, the last few minutes of Vicki's life replayed over and over. The sights, the smells, the sounds. All of it clear as a bell.

There was nothing to do to distract myself. But moreover, there was nothing I could think of wanting to do. So I laid there and let it play itself out to its gruesome end, and then start all over again. Even well past sundown.

"CAW!"

Vicki's pleas finally faded away at the demanding birdcall at my window. Blinking, as if waking from a nightmare, I rose up and off the bed, moving to the window.

A crow even darker than the night itself perched on the windowsill. "Caw!" it demanded as it watched my approach.

Surreality reigned as I looked out into the yard.

I don't know how I noticed him. He was clad entirely in black leather, so that the only part of him that stood out was his pale face. Without the moon, it was almost too dark to see even that. I was about to call out when his finger lifted to his lips.

And like an old horror novel, he beckoned for me to come outside.

I didn't even stop to consider what to do before slipping out of Katherine's boots and stepping quietly to the door. The house was dark, even the downstairs was quiet, as I made my way down the staircase. I took a right and travelled further back, through the game room to the sliding glass door at the back of the house.

Damon waited just beyond it. He looked like hell. His hair in disarray—not the usual deliberate mess but as if he'd walked through a hurricane to get here. I could smell the bourbon wafting off him. A bottle of it, which I was sure wasn't his first, was held loosely in one hand. The other held the doorframe—but not to posture. No. This time, it looked as if it was keeping him upright.

His bleary eyes struggled to focus on me. "Go ahead."

I was surprised he wasn't slurring his words. "What?"

He motioned with the bottle, sloshing the liquid within. "Say it."

All of the sudden, exhaustion started to pull at me. I sighed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Katherine." And just like that, I was awake again. More awake than I'd been since Vicki. "Not going to say I told you so?" he asked.

There was a part of me, the one that had been frightened and hurt when he'd left me to Anna or had threatened to kill me, that was glad to be proven right. But seeing the broken look in Damon's eyes didn't provide any satisfaction. Mostly, I remembered the times my heart had been broken. Not that they compared to a hundred and forty years of pining, only to be tricked again. "No Damon."

He laughed, a raw, rasping sound that suggested he'd screamed so much, not even his vampire healing could repair the damage to his vocal cords. "Why not?"

"I know how much Katherine meant to you." Damon shook his head before taking a swallow from the bottle. I pressed my lips together before admitting, "I don't like to see you hurt."

The bottle dropped back to his side. He stared down at it, peering into it as if it held the answer to some elusive mystery. "I can't figure out why," he whispered.

"To fool Klaus into thinking she was dead."

But Damon shook his head. "Not that." Damon looked up, meeting my gaze with wide eyes shining with pain. "Why trick me into thinking she'd always been there?"

"I don't know, Damon."

He blew out a breath, looking away. "Guess you don't know everything, then," he muttered.

"I never said I did," I replied softly.

Damon nodded before pushing himself off the frame. He nearly fell before catching himself and frowning down at his feet. With another drink from his bottle, he turned and weaved his way across the paved porch and into the yard.

"Damon."

He stopped and gazed over his shoulder. After a moment, I stepped past the glass door into the night. The blades of grass were slightly damp underfoot, a few sticking to my skin as they whispered beneath my feet. I stopped next to him, bourbon and misery made crisp in the cool Virginia air. I leaned up on my tiptoes and, after a shared glance, brought my mouth next to his ear. I whispered, quiet enough for the sound to be lost beneath the rustle of the grass.

His eyes were wide as I drifted back onto my heels, pain momentarily overtaken by confusion. "Why?" he asked softly.

"Because I know you're worthy of hearing it."

Damon stared.

I met his bright-eyed stare for several long seconds before stepping aside. "I better get back before Klaus comes to see if I'm trying to run off."

I waited for a goodbye, disappointed when it never came. I summoned a thin smile anyway and turned around to retreat into the house.

"Elena."

I paused, twisting to look behind me. Damon stood a little straighter than moments before, as if he were trying to sober up. "I know I screwed up with Anna. But I swear, I won't let you die."

"I already have, Damon," I reminded him.

Damon frowned. "Again, then. You know what I mean."

"Klaus needs me alive. He won't let me stay dead. It's for the best—"

He was in front of me in a blink. "It's not." His eyes brightened with a fervent light. "I've died too, remember? You shouldn't have to go through that so some dick can have a few minions. You don't owe him a damn thing. Let alone your life."

"It's not really mine."

"Yes, it is," Damon shot back with a fierceness that stunned me. "However you ended up with it, you've been living it. That makes it yours."

This time, I was the one who didn't know what to say. It wasn't that I agreed with him, per se. More that he seemed to actually care whether or not I believed it.

I was about to answer when a light flickered on inside. My heart shot to my throat at the sight of the glowing window. "I have to go."

Damon glared up at it before his sights fixed back on me. His gaze roamed my face before he gave a single nod. I turned about and hurried back into the house, pausing at the sliding door to look back.

Damon was gone.

The door slid shut as I let out a breath. I turned, intent to make my way back to Katherine's room when the sight of a shadow looming by a column stopped me short, stealing my breath.

It wasn't until my eyes adjusted to the darkness that I realized it was Stefan standing there, watching.

I managed a shaky smile and mouthed Damon.

He nodded before backing away and disappearing.

My heart was racing all the way back to my temporary room. Not because Stefan had startled me, or the way he'd disappeared.

But because I thought there'd been a bit of red in his eyes.