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❝ 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘳à 𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦❞
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Some people might think I'm acting impulsively—or that I'm about to get myself killed. But to my defense, first of all, that's a Damon and Elena thing, and second of all, if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself. Well, sort of...

"I still can't believe I agreed to this," I mutter, stepping out of the car and into a dimly lit alleyway in the heart of Chicago.

"Oh, don't pretend you're not enjoying my company," Katherine teases, flashing a sly smirk as she follows behind me. "Out of all those idiots back in Mystic Falls, you're the least... idiotic to get this over with."

I roll my eyes. "The only reason I'm doing this is to make sure my friend is okay, Katherine. It's not like I'm enjoying spending time with you—or that I trust you."

Her smirk widens. "Then maybe you should stop hanging around Elena so much. It's clouding your judgment." She pauses before adding, "Still, you came here, despite not trusting me. How do you know I'm not setting you up?"

"Oh please," I snort, shaking my head. "You're more obsessed with Stefan than Damon is with bourbon. You want this to work as much as I do. I don't think you'd sabotage it now."

Her smirk doesn't falter, and with a dismissive wave, she turns and starts walking. I follow her, the weight of the situation pressing down on me.

...

"So, what did your witch friend say about the location?" I ask, glancing at Katherine as we walk through the crowded streets of Chicago.

She pauses for a moment, eyes scanning the area before she stops in front of a bar's entrance. "Here," she says, leaning closer to the door to listen.

My heart sinks as I take a closer look at the bar. Recognition hits me like a punch in the gut. This is the place Elena told me about when I called her yesterday.

I hadn't been able to reach Damon, and after their last visit here, I should've known better than to come.We'll long story short, Damon got his ass beaten by Klaus and Elena got her feelings hurt by Stefan

"You go in first," Katherine tells me, stepping back with a wary expression.

"I didn't think I'd live to see the day you get scared," I tease, my tone light, though I'm not sure how much I really mean it.

Katherine rolls her eyes, but I can see the tension in her body. Truth is, I get it. Her entire life has been a fight for survival, running from a man who's killed her family and nearly destroyed her. It's not easy to walk back into that kind of danger.

"We're both gonna die either way," i quip, my voice low. "The only difference is that you'll die from Damon's wrath when he finds out we went behind his back to bring Stefan home. And I'll probably die from Klaus."

"Well, I'm here to have your back if things go sideways...And if we're lucky, Klaus won't be inside."

But just as we're about to enter, a blood-curdling scream erupts from inside.

Katherine doesn't hesitate. She vamp-speeds through the door, and I follow right behind her.

Inside, the scene is worse than I expected. Stefan is chained to a table, his body covered in blood and bruises, his breath ragged as he struggles weakly. A witch stands over him, preparing to finish what Klaus started.

"Wait!" I shout, adrenaline rushing through me, though my instincts scream at me to stay quiet.

Katherine shoots me a look that says it all: Shut up.

The witch spins around, clearly startled by our sudden entrance. She glares at me, scanning me with sharp, calculating eyes before her expression shifts into something unreadable.

"You—" She begins, but before she can say anything more, Katherine moves with vampire speed, stabbing a knife into the witch's neck.

The witch gasps, her eyes widening as she chokes and crumples to the ground.

"You did need my help after all," Katherine says with a smirk, turning toward Stefan, who looks at us with a mix of relief and disbelief.

...

"What part of 'stay away from me' did you not understand, Maddison?" Stefan grumbles, sounding more exhausted than angry as we wait for Katherine to dispose of the witch's body.

I cross my arms, fighting back the urge to snap back. "I'm gonna ignore your little monologue and pretend that was your way of saying 'thank you'." I pause, glancing at him. "Plus, Elena told me what happened. I needed to see it for myself."

Stefan rubs his face, clearly tired of having this conversation. "I'm doing this to protect her. All of you. If Klaus finds out she's alive..." He trails off, his eyes clouding over with something heavy, something I can't quite place.

"Damon didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?" I ask, confused.

"Klaus is trying to make more hybrids," Stefan explains, his voice tight with frustration. "But he's failing. The second Klaus's blood enters their system, they pass out. The problem is, they don't need his blood."

I finally make the connection. "They need Elena's." My voice drops as the realization hits. "If Klaus finds out she's alive, he's gonna drain her dry."

Stefan's face softens, his eyes filled with something almost like regret. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you need to understand, Maddison. What I said to Elena... I said it to keep her safe."

I take a step closer, reaching out to pull him into a brief hug. "You've always sacrificed yourself for the ones you love," I murmur, my voice soft as I hold him. "Even if it means pushing them away."

There it is—the Stefan I remember. The one who always put others before himself, no matter the cost. I pull back and look at him with a soft smile. "By the way, I never got to thank you for getting me home after I passed out."

Stefan gives a half-hearted smile in return, but before he can say anything, Katherine's voice cuts through the moment.

"You need to go back to Mystic Falls," she says, her tone all business. "Damon called. He doesn't sound happy that you're here."

I sigh, glancing at Stefan one last time.

"Be safe, alright?" I say, my voice filled with a rare sincerity.

"I will," Stefan replies, his voice quiet, but determined.

...

Author's note:

MADS AND KITTY KAT>>>
the only thing I have to say about that chapter. :D