I ALREADY KNOW WHY I COME BACK.

Klaus opened the back door of the car and looked at Clementine's sleeping form. She had one of Klaus' flannel shirts bundled up under her like a pillow, the sight making him smile. But remembering that Stefan was right behind him, he hid the smile.

"Time to wake up, Little Seer," he said, shaking her shoulder.

Clem groaned but opened her eyes nonetheless, squinting from the sunlight a bit. "We in Chicago?"

"Yes," he told her as she climbed out of the car. "Have you ever been?"

"Psych ward patients aren't really allowed to travel the world," she muttered, grabbing the flannel and slipping it on.

"Chicago was magical for the two of us."

"Yeah, well, I'll take your word for it. Like I said, I don't remember most of it," Stefan said, clearly uncomfortable while thinking of his Ripper days.

"Going to get down to business, then?" Klaus asked him.

"Why am I still with you?" Stefan questioned. "We had our fun, your hybrids failed. You know how to fix it."

"We're going to see my favorite witch. I want to know why it's Elena's blood only that works," he said. He also had plans to kill Gloria eventually, trusting Clementine's warning about the witch.

Clem let out a big yawn and followed after the two vampires. "Can we stop at a Dunkin' Donuts or something? I need coffee."

☽

︎

With a large black coffee in hand, Clementine followed Klaus and Stefan into the empty bar, on high alert. With one touch, Sheila Bennett knew where Clem was originally from, so she couldn't let Gloria touch her.

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus asked Stefan, who was looking around in awe.

"I can't believe this place is still here."

Then Gloria came out from the back room, looking at Klaus in disbelief. "You got to be kidding me."

Klaus just smiled charmingly. "So a hybrid walks into a bar, says to the bartender—"

"Stop," she cut him off. "You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny."

"She's right," Clem said matter-of-factly before sipping on her coffee.

Gloria appraised Clementine for a moment before determining that she wasn't a threat, moving on to Stefan, who was familiar. "I remember you."

"Yeah. You're Gloria. Shouldn't you be..."

"Old and dead?" she laughed. "Now if I die, who's going to run this place, huh?"

"Gloria's a very powerful witch," Klaus explained, watching her carefully. He didn't trust her now that he knew about his mother.

"I can slow the aging down some. Herbs and spells. But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day," she explained.

"Stefan, why don't you go and fix us up a little something from behind the bar? Take our Little Seer with you."

"Seer?" Gloria questioned, her eyebrows furrowed. "There are no more Seers."

Clementine just winked at her and shot a pair of finger guns at her before following Stefan behind the bar.

"What do you want to drink?" Stefan asked her.

"Can't drink on my antipsychotics," she explained.

He frowned at her. "You're still taking those? You aren't in the hospital."

She just shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "I think they help with all the stuff that goes on in our life. I don't mind taking them."

Stefan looked at her sadly, hating that she had to live through this horrible life. He hated he hadn't known her when she was young — he'd have done anything to keep Matt from getting her sent away.

It didn't matter what Elena did or didn't feel for the both of them. Stefan cared greatly about Clementine and her happiness.

Back beside Gloria, Klaus had explained that his hybrids had to drink doppelgänger blood.

"Well, there's no way to know for certain why. We'd have to contact the witch who created it and ask," she explained.

Klaus tensed, knowing this was her way of asking for a way to communicate with his mother. "Well, that would be the original witch. She's very dead."

"I know. And for me to contact her, I'll need help. Bring me Rebekah," she instructed.

He sucked in a breath. "Rebekah. Rebekah is a bit preoccupied."

"She has what I need. Bring her to me," she told him. Then she studied Klaus' face, noticing that he was holding back. "What is it?"

"The Seer," he whispered, keeping his voice low. "She can't seem to die. I've never seen anything like her."

Gloria frowned at that, looking at the blonde that was laughing with Stefan about something. Her magic felt odd the moment Clem walked into the bar — like it was drawn to her in some way. But there was something off about Clementine's aura.

Like she didn't belong.

And Gloria was dying to know more.

"I'll look into it," she murmured.

Just then, Stefan came across the photo taped to the wall of him and Klaus sitting in a booth together. His eyes went wide as he took the picture down. "What is this?"

"Well, I told you, Stefan. Chicago's a magical place," Klaus said with a coy smile.

"But this is me. With you."

"Well, you've certainly lived an exciting life, Steffy."

☽

︎

Stefan was asking questions that Klaus wouldn't answer. They walked into the warehouse that was holding all the coffins, and Stefan was still gripping the picture tightly.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why don't I remember you?"

"You said it yourself: that time had a lot of dark holes," Klaus said with a shrug.

"No, if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?" he asked, feeling like a part of him was lost.

"I'm a little busy right now," he muttered. "Memory Lane will have to wait."

But Stefan was nothing if not persistent. "What the hell is going on? Answer me."

"Let's just say we didn't get off to a brilliant start. To be honest, I hated you," he said before explaining how they met. Through Rebekah, who took a liking to Stefan right away.

"Your sister," Stefan recounted dumbfoundedly. "So I knew another Original vampire."

"If you can't handle it, then don't ask," Klaus shrugged before walking up to Rebekah's coffin.

He opened it up, revealing a beautiful blonde in a dress right from the twenties. He smiled and gently touched her face — she was always his favorite.

"I don't recognize her," Stefan admitted with a frown.

"Well, don't tell her that. Rebekah's temper is worse than mine," he said, smirking. Then he pulled the dagger from her chest. "Time to wake up, little sister."

Of course, she remained there, dead. And Klaus was far too impatient. "Any day now, Rebekah. She's being dramatic."

"Look, why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on?" Stefan asked, clearly upset. "I mean, you obviously want me here for a reason, right?"

"Well, you have many useful talents."

Stefan raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Do I?"

"In fact, I learned some of my favorite tricks from you. I was your number one fan," he said, beginning to leave the warehouse.

"Why should I believe any of this?" Stefan asked.

But first, Klaus stopped in front of the human guarding he coffins and compelled him. "When she wakes up, tell her to meet us at Gloria's Bar. Then volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die."

"Where are you going?" Stefan questioned.

"You think I'm lying, Stefan? You and I knew each other. You trusted me with one of your secrets and now I'm going to prove it to you."

"How?"

"We're going to your old apartment," Klaus said before looking at Clem. "Wait for us at the bar, love."

She grimaced. "I don't wanna be around that witch."

"Well, that witch is going to figure out what's up with your little resurrection act, so you should be grateful."

Clementine tilted her head, not aware he'd bothered to ask Gloria for help. "I already know why I come back."

Both Klaus and Stefan looked at her, shocked. "Do tell, love," Klaus said, crossing his arms.

But Clem just smiled cheekily and shook her head. "Not telling, Klausy."

☽

︎

Gloria and Clementine glared at each other, the bar separating them. Neither had uttered a word to the other, and soon, they were joined by Klaus and Stefan, both men realizing no progress had been made.

"Where's Rebekah?" Gloria finally asked, giving them some beers.

"She'll be here. I can't just conjure her on demand," he muttered before looking at a brooding Stefan. "What's with you? I thought Chicago was your playground."

"So this is why you asked me to be your wingman? Because you liked the way that I tortured innocent people?" he asked.

"Obviously," Clem mumbled, tracing the grain of the wood on the bar top out of boredom.

"Well, that's certainly half of it," Klaus told him.

"What's the other half?"

Klaus grabbed a bottle of tequila and poured two shots. "The other half, Stefan, is that you used to want to be my wingman." He slid one of the shots to Stefan and raised his own. "To friendship."

☽︎

Clementine's boredom wasn't cured as the two kept talking about their so-called friendship, so she took herself outside, knowing who was already waiting outside. Damon had been hiding in the bar, waiting for a good time to get Stefan's attention.

For the first time in a week, Elena felt like she could breathe as she saw Clem walk out of the bar. She couldn't help but run to the girl, hugging her tightly.

"Clemmy," she mumbled, hiding her face in the shorter girl's shoulder. "I can't believe he took you."

"He's bringing me back," Clem assured her. "I annoyed him into letting me come back for senior year. After that though? Who knows."

"Has he hurt you? Has Stefan?" she asked worriedly, pulling back a bit.

"I'm perfectly fine. Only died once," she said with a smile, which made Elena frown.

"Clem—"

"I'm okay, Lena. I promise," she told her softly.

"You shouldn't be here," Stefan said, coming across them.

Elena raised an eyebrow, staying close to Clementine. "Where else would I be?"

"What do you want? Damon won't be able to distract Klaus for long," he said. "He's already kidnapped Clem. Don't add yourself into the mix."

"Come home," Elena pleaded, going to hug him. And Clem saw that she was about to stake him in the back with a vervain dart, but Stefan sensed it, spinning her suddenly and grabbing her arm hard enough to leave a bruise.

"How much clearer can I make it?" he asked harshly as she feebly dropped the dart. "I don't want to come home!"

"Let her go," Clem said in a hard tone, putting a hand on Stefan's shoulder.

The vampire sighed and did so. "Klaus is obsessed with siring these hybrids and with mending our friendship or whatever. You have it good in Mystic Falls — a blood donation every few months. Don't make it worse for yourself."

"Look, I know you're trying to protect me, but I can't let you do it. Come with me, Stefan, please," Elena begged.

"And what do you expect if I do? Huh? It's never going to be the same, Elena," he said, glancing at Clementine.

"I know that," she sighed.

"I don't think you do. I've left bodies scattered from Florida to Tennessee. Innocent people. Humans."

"Lexi found you like this before. In the twenties, and - and she saved you," she reasoned.

"And you know what I did after that? I spent thirty years trying to pull myself together. To a vampire, that's nothing. To you? That's half your life."

Elena shook her head, feeling as if it was her fault he was like this now. "I can't give up on you, Stefan."

"Yes, you can. It's done. That part of my life is done. I don't want to see you. I don't want to be with you. I just want you to go," he said before walking away, leaving the girls in the parking lot.

Clementine sighed and looked at a crushed Elena before wrapping her up in her arms. Elena melted against her, beginning to cry.

"He didn't mean that," she said softly. "He's just being extra broody. Klaus just dropped a huge bomb on him, and he's confused. He didn't mean that about not wanting to be with you."

Elena sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Maybe he's right. Maybe there's nothing to salvage between us."

"Don't give up on him," she said, squeezing her hand. Then she looked back at the bar, knowing she'd have to get back. "And I'll see you soon. Don't worry too much about me."

"I'll always worry about you, Clemmy."

☽︎

Clem followed behind Stefan, who was following behind Klaus, entering the warehouse. Rebekah's coffin was empty and the guard was dead on the floor.

"Rebekah," Klaus said in a teasing tone, making Clem grin. "It's your big brother. Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Suddenly, Rebekah rushed out of her hiding place and stabbed Klaus with a dagger. "Go to hell, Nik!"

Klaus just huffed and pulled the dagger out of his chest, letting it clatter to the floor. He looked at his sister, wholly unimpressed. "Don't pout. You knew it wouldn't kill me."

"Yeah, but I was hoping it would hurt more," she mumbled, unaware he'd broken his curse.

"I understand that you're upset with me, Rebekah, so I'm going to let that go. Just this once. Brought you a little peace offering. You can come in."

Stefan came out, but didn't show any sign of recognition as he looked at her. Rebekah seemed to be in awe though. She breathed out his name in disbelief.

Then Klaus moved closer to Stefan and compelled him. "Now you remember."

Stefan's eyes went wide as memories rushed to the front of his mind. "Rebekah," he murmured, moving closer to her.

"Stefan," Klaus said, getting his attention once more.

"I remember you. We were friends."

"We are friends," Klaus corrected. "And now the reason you're here. Gloria tells me you know how to contact the original witch."

Rebekah's eyes widened. "The original witch?"

"What do you have that Gloria needs?"

The Original touched her neck, only to realize the pendant that always hung around it was missing. "Where's my necklace? What did you do with it? I never take it off!"

As Rebekah freaked out, Klaus put his hands up innocently. "I don't know. I didn't touch it."

"We need to find it, Nik. Now, I want it back!" she shouted.

"Tell me that's not what she needs, Rebekah!" he roared.

She turned and looked in her coffin, unable to find it anywhere. In anger, she threw the coffin to the ground, breaking it.

But then Klaus turned to the silent girl in the room. "Love," he said slowly, "the thing Katerina was going to steal? That's it?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yup."

"And who is she stealing it from?" he asked, coming closer.

"Doesn't work like that," she said, shrugging. Honestly, she just didn't want Rebekah to kill Elena for owning the necklace now. "But she'll have it by the end of the week."

"Who is this, Nik?" Rebekah asked, appraising the girl with a judgmental look on her face. "One of your witches?"

Clem grinned brightly at Rebekah and offered her hand to shake. "Clementine Donovan. It's nice to meet you. Klausy has told me nothing about you but I still know everything."

"Way to be vague, Clemmy," Stefan muttered. Then he smiled at Rebekah. "Clementine is a Seer — and one of my best friends."

That was his way of warning Rebekah not to kill her.

"A Seer?" she asked, her eyes wide. "Oh, Kol's going to want to meet this one."

Clementine smirked, thinking of the hotheaded — and hot — Mikaelson brother. "And I can't wait to meet him."