Mikaelson mansion

Rose served coffee and biscuits to Elena as if it was just an ordinary social call.
They sat down in the winter-garden  adjacent to the kitchen.

"Thank you"-Elena said politely-"ok, this is all very weird to me, but how come you are drinking coffee? Isn't it only that vampires drink blood?"

Rose smiled a little-

"That's folklore. We can drink any liquid, and food, but it's the blood that feeds us and keeps us going, same as the bloodbats. I know it must all be very confusing to you. You may ask me anything you want to know-"

"Two days ago I led a pretty ordinary life.Then I find out that my whole family is part of a secret society, my best friend is a witch, I get kidnapped, exchanged for a vampire heart. Yeah, I have questions...loads- I want to know everything-   so far I've been told scraps"- Elena said.

Rose took to Elena as she first started researching about her. She followed Elena for a few days when she got the word that there was a doppelganger. She was so much different from Katerina Petrova, that Rose met when she was still human. Elena was goodhearted, self-assured, cheerful person. Rose observed the way she was with her friends and fellow colleagues. Her inquisitive nature didn't surprise her. After all Elena was a scientist of sorts.

"Entering or being part of the occult world can be overwhelming"- Rose said-" I remember myself how it felt like learning that witches are very real and that there is this other world that is nothing like you read in books."

"How did you become a vampire?"- Elena then asked.

"I was turned by Elijah"

"Oh!"- Elena exclaimed.

"It was not violent. I am a daughter of a witch, who was helping him find his sister. I became very ill. Also my mother was in danger from the dark witches."

"And he did?"

"It's was not only because I was ill. There was more to it. But it is connected with a ritual and I am sworn to secrecy."- Rose then said.

"Ok... you can tell me about the Old ones then?"

"Yes."- Rose said- "There are two old clans of vampires. The Mikaelson and the Salvatore. There were others, three more clans, but the witches did away with them."

"OMG... Zachary Salvatore? Was he the Old one? Oh, and those two. Stefan and Damon?"- Elena now gasped.

"No. Zachary Salvatore wasn't a vampire. But, yes, they are the ones from the Salvatore bloodline. But that doesn't make them the Old ones. There is only one of the Old one from that clan. But no one knows his abode- place where he rests"- Rose said.

"Stefan and Damon know about this? Who turned them?"

"They were turned by the doppelganger, who became a vampire herself -Katerina Petrova."- Rose said.

"They killed her, didn't they?!"- Elena looked for confirmation, but Rose went silent.

"She is not dead?!?"- Elena concluded in amazement- "That heart that was exchange last night? That was not her heart, is it?!"

"You haven't touched any of the coffee. And the biscuits are self-made."- Rose then said.

Elena now understood that Rose couldn't give her all the answers. She would have to get them from Elijah. She then took one biscuit and looked at her phone.

"I will need to go now... see my friend."- Elena said getting up.

"I will accompany you."- Rose stood up as well- saying"Elena, this is all very serious. Your life is in danger."

"I understand."- Elena said- "But I am not going to live like I am in a cage. And I want to know all that is happening. This is my life. I guess, you will be my bodyguard, right?!"

"You give us no option, but to treat you like a canary."

*****

In an unknown location Elijah met up with his beloved sister Freya.

"Oh...how wonderful it is to see you again!"- the witch gave her brother a warm hug.

"It's been too long...and maybe I have put you in danger now, but I have found the doppelganger and we are close to unbreaking the curse!"- Elijah said.

"It's going to be nearly five hundred years now, and a thousand since the curse."- she said.

"I know."- he said sadly.

"Does Klaus know about the existence of the doppelganger?"- Freya asked.

"I don't know. But, I am certain Finn does. He has found me."- and he told her about the attack on him as he was exchanging Elena for the box with a heart.

"What is the doppelganger called?"- Freya wanted to know.

"Elena."- Elijah said.

"Beautiful name-"

"Yes."- Elijah said shortly.

"She stirred all the memories of Tatia, didn't she? Same as Katerina Petrova did?!"- Freya then said.

Elijah gave his sister a look that said- why-are-you-bringing-this-up.

"The way you said her name?!"

"She is only important for the balance."- Elijah then said his face somber again.

But Freya knew that something in his voice sounded so much more.

"Let's go. I need to go back to Mystic Falls. It looks like the doppelganger is of very inquisitive nature."- he said.

He took his sister's bag and they went to the car.

*****

In the Gilbert household, Liz met up with Jenna and Sophie.

"We have to move them asap"- Jenna said.

"The only place where we can take them is the Cave's!"- Liz said-"but...it's not safe there either. Everything is stirred up at the moment."

"They all discovered that the doppelganger exists!"- Jenna said- "and from now we will not have peace."

"We have to take them to the caves!"- Liz said-"and we need to find out what were they doing here?!"

Jenna didn't like it but at the moment that was their only option.

The Caves of Mystic Fall woods were a labyrinth of different passages. When they were kids, Liz and her friends found an area where there were shackles and some of the area was used as a jail. When Liz grew up and became a member of the Secret Society, she learned that werewolves used to be kept there during three nights of the full moon.

****

Elena arrived at  Bonnie's house with Rose.

"This is Rose."- Elena introduced the vampire to her friends.Bonnie only nodded, and Caroline, who was still shellshocked from her earlier revelation didn't take it kindly that Elena had a vampire shadow nor that she brought her with her.

"And you are so ok that a vampire, who you don't know, is hanging around here with us?! Has everyone gone mad? "- Caroline huffed and puffed.

"I know this is all insane and it pretty much crazy, but last night I have seen things I thought were only on Supernatural...but they are not. If you don't calm down I will slap you"- Elena said to Caroline.

"I can't believe you said that?!"- Caroline snapped back at Elena.

"Will everyone just stop it right now!"- Bonnie now came between them- "what's going on?! We never behaved like this?"

"Sorry"- Elena said- "I didn't get much sleep."

"Me too. And I am still hung over."- Caroline calmed down and sat down on the sofa. She gave the vampire a dirty look nevertheless.

Rose knew why Caroline hissed at her and then as everyone was calm said.

"You have a real werewolf temper"

"What?"- Caroline looked at Rose astonished at the remark.

"Yes. I can smell the wolf in you."- Rose said.

Both Bonnie and Elena looked at her friend with eyes wide open.

"Tea, everyone?"- Rose said.

"Coffee!!"- the women exclaimed.