𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐞.
chapter five, the skeletons in my closet!

"ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS?" The blonde vampire questioned with apprehension. The doppelgänger and the vampire stood at the front of the tomb door under the church ruins.

"Yes, I'm sure. She's the only one who knows the truth about Klaus. The only one who can tell me how to stop him."

"But you're asking for the truth from someone who's probably never giving it. Are you sure about this?"

The older Gilbert nodded, tired of living in the dark when her life was endangered by an unknown enemy. She needed to know who she and her friends were up against.

"Yeah. I can't just sit back and wait. I have to know, Caroline. Please."

Understanding, Caroline went towards the door and with her vampire strength, she opened it.

"Katherine?" The doppelgänger called out to the brunette inside. They were greeted to silence. Elena turned to Caroline. The blonde was timid, blue eyes filled with fear. "I'll be okay from here."

They heard a noise. Elena turned her head, looking at the entrance. There, in all her glory stood Katherine Pierce at the entrance with narrowed eyes and a condescending smirk.

"Hello Elena. You come to watch me wither away?" Slowly, Katherine shifted her attention to Caroline, her smile becoming venomous. "Goodbye Caroline."

Elena looked over her shoulder at Caroline who stood frozen in fear. She was eyeing the two doppelgängers, anxious of what could happen if Katherine was able to magically escape from her imprisonment.

"As long as I stay on this side of the door, she can't hurt me. Please."

Caroline stayed for a few seconds longer, eyeing them with apprehension before speeding off. Katherine tilted her head, her lips poised in a wicked smirk.

"Stefan know you're here?"

"I brought you some things." Katherine chuckled at her doppelgänger. She crossed her arms over her chest, jutting out her hip as she leaned against the doorway. "You came to bribe me? What is it that you want?"

"I want you to tell me about Klaus."

Katherine did her best not to tense up at the mentioning of the Original. She felt her heart clench at the thought of her lover and the blond, speaking with one another as if they were the best of friends. Right before. . .

"Hmm, you've been busy."

"I also brought you this," Elena knelt to the floor and pulled out an old book from the bag. "It's your family history. It says in here that the family line ended with you. Obviously that's not true."

"You think that if you brought me some family keepsake that I'd open up?"

"I also brought you this,"

Reaching into her bag once more, Elena pulled out a bottle filled with crimson.

Overcome by hunger, Katherine's eyes bled red, the black veins pulsed beneath her eyes as she rushed forward with fangs extended. The vampire was harshly greeted to the barrier.

"You don't look so good. How long before your body shuts down? 10, 20 years? It must be painful to desiccate and mummify. I can't even imagine."

Irritated, Katherine's face returned to normal as she sat herself on the ground. Elena mimicked her actions. Taking the bottle, she poured some of the blood into a glass. Carefully, she pushed the glass to Katherine with a stick.

The brunette took the glass eagerly, and downed it. Instantly, her skin regained some of its color. Katherine winced as she swallowed, tilting the empty glass at her doppelgänger.

"You have the Petrova fire." Elena didn't like the compliment. "More blood?"

Smiling to herself, the vampire put the glass on the floor for Elena to take. The exchange was silent and Katherine took it as her opportunity to tell her story.

"It's a long story, Klaus and I. It goes all the way back to England, 1492, after I left Bulgaria. Or was thrown out."

Elena gave Katherine more blood. Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. The vampire took the glass and brought it to her lips.

"Thrown out?"

"My family, your true ancestors, they disowned me. My indiscretions were not tolerated at that time. I had a baby out of wedlock. The shame."

"It was kept secret?"

"Mhmm. My baby was given away. I was banished to England and I had to learn to adjust,"

And boy did I with the help of your love, 'Kiyah. . . In your eyes, my indiscretions only amplified my beauty in being human. The imperfections of mine every reason as to why you loved me harder.

"So I quickly became English. It was there that I caught the eye of a nobleman named Klaus. I was taken with him at first, till I found out what he was and what he wanted from me."

She paused for a moment, knowing the lies she was feeding to her oblivious doppelgänger. Katherine Pierce couldn't tell her the whole truth. Zakiyah was her secret that would stay buried.

Her name deserved to rest in peace after the torment she put her lover through.

"And then I ran like hell."

England, 1492. . .

KATERINA PETROVA WAS STUMBLING THROUGH THE WOODS BLINDLY, HER VISION BLURRY FROM HER TEARS. The brunette fell, scraping her hands and knees. She hissed at the pain branching across her skin and bones as she hid behind a tree.

Her thoughts trailed to Zakiyah who she abandoned at her home. Did they get to her or had she manage to keep her safe from them? Katerina wanted to be with Zakiyah, the two had made plans at midnight to engage in their usual acts of stargazing in their field.

They were supposed to still that night as Katerina hadn't told Zakiyah anything different. The crunching of leaves made Katerina freeze. She clamped both hands over her mouth to prevent herself from sobbing out of fear.

"She's here," The brunet Original informed to his men. He looked out into the woods, addressing the Petrova doppelgänger. "Katerina! I know you're near, I can smell your blood. It's pointless to run, Klaus will find you wherever you are."

Klaus. . . She wondered, had the Original gotten to Zakiyah? Would he if he were to find out the truth?

Trevor arrived, indicating a false direction to the group of men.

"This way. There is more blood over there!"

Following his words, Elijah and his men ran in the direction of where Trevor was pointing. Hearing their footsteps fade, Katerina got up, ready to run again.

As she tried to leave, Trevor arrived, putting a finger on her mouth. He pushed her against the tree, startling her.

"Head east. I can't lead them astray anymore." Katerina winced. Her muscles ached, her body tired. She shook her head vigorously, voice breathless. "I can't run anymore."

"Never mind. There's a cottage. You'll be safe there. Go now. Go!"

Trevor gave her a light push before he himself became a blur. Katerina pushed her legs to go forward, her thoughts never once failing to trail back to Zakiyah as she fought for her survival.

Mystic Falls, present timing. . .

"SO, WHAT DID KLAUS WANT?" Elena asked, clearly interested in the story being told. Katherine leaned her head back against the wall. "The same thing that he'll want from you. He wants to break the curse."

"By sacrificing the Petrova doppelgänger."

"He wanted to drain every single drop of blood from my body," Katherine explained as she reached for her glass. "What does the Petrova blood line have to do with Klaus?"

"It's really tedious, but. . ."

The vampire greedily drank the rest of the contents in her glass before crushing it in her palms. Her skin began to regain more of her color as her strength slowly began to grow.

"The curse was bound by the sacrifice of Petrova blood. Witches are crafty with their spells. The doppelgänger was created as a way to be able to undo the spell. Once the doppelgänger reappeared, the curse can be broken."

"So you ran before he killed you?" Katherine smiled, though it was crooked and held a malicious gleam. "Something like that."

England, 1492. . .

KATERINA RAN THROUGH THE WOODS TO A COTTAGE. She knocked on the door, vigorously. When the door had yet to open, the Petrova doppelgänger began to beg.

"Help, please help me!" She felt her vision blur again and blinked. Hot tears streamed down her dirt stained cheeks. Finally,, the door opened, revealing an old woman at the foot of it. "Please, help me."

"I don't invite strangers into my home." The older woman tried closing the door on the brunette who panicked. "No, Trevor. He said that you'd help me."

Katerina was pleading through her eyes that were filled with fear and paranoia. She heard another voice from behind the door. A beautiful, young brunette came beside the older woman.

She was a vampire like Trevor. Katerina gulped. The vampire eyed her up and down making the human feel small. She sighed through her nose, her eyes never leaving Katerina's shaky figure.

"Let the girl in." Katerina entered the cottage, her chest practically sinking in relief. The vampire went towards the older woman and compelled her. "Bring her water and something to eat."

"You must be Rose. Thank you. Trevor said to show you this." Raising her hand, Katerina showed the moonstone. "To prove I am who I say and that you'd help me to freedom."

Rose stared at the stone in the human's shaky hand. Her eyes widened in both horror and surprise. Slowly, Rose's eyes trailed from the stone to Katerina's eyes that were already on hers.

"You stole this from Klaus?" Katerina nodded, and swallowed. "It was to be part of the sacrifice ritual, so I grabbed it and made my escape."

Rose shook her head. What had Trevor gotten himself into? Rose bit her lip, trying to figure out how she could save her best friend from death itself.

"People do not escape from Klaus. Everyone who tries ends up back in his grasp and anyone who helps them dies."

"I know the risk you bring on yourself by giving me aid."

"I'm risking nothing. At nightfall, I'll bring you back to Klaus and beg him to show us both mercy."

Scared, Katerina tried to run out of the cottage, but was caught by the wrist. Rose yanked Katerina, making her yelp in pain. Rose led the two towards an empty room where she planned to keep Katerina hostage.

Tears began to fall as she shook her head, begging to be freed. Rose showed her no mercy and threw her into the empty room.

The brunette human fell to the floor as Rose slammed the door shut, locking it from the outside. Katerina scrambled to her feet and began to jiggle the locked knob. Crying hysterically, the brunette pounded her fists against the wood.

"No! No!"

Elena shifted in her spot, clearly uncomfortable on where the story was going. She gulped thickly, her anxiety getting the best of her. She fiddled with her hands.

"Rose never ended up taking you back to Klaus, did she?"

She wanted to believe that Rose was a good person. That she wouldn't have thrown Katherine to the monster.

That her humanity would spare the life of an innocent girl at the time from her inevitable death.

Katherine ran her tongue over her teeth, and scoffed. She turned to Elena, dark eyes boring into ones that mirrored her own. Katherine's smile was plastic.

"No, but not because she had a change of heart. . ."

Zakiyah, my one and only true love. Forgive me for I have failed you. I have lied to thou, that I should be of attendance at nightfall. But here I lay, hopeless and alone in a cottage as I am to meet my ultimate end.

And at the hands of him. The very man we both learned to trust and befriend. The monster hiding in human skin.

The door opened, breaking Katerina out of her thoughts. Rose entered the room and watched Katerina from her position on the bed.

She almost felt guilty for the doppelgänger, but she wanted to make things right between her friend and the Originals who were not to be challenged.

"It's nightfall. Time to go." Nightfall. . . She was going to be late. She was to see Zakiyah tonight. Her eyes, heavy as death sat beside her, widened slightly. How had she forgotten? The blood on her stomach made Rose stiffen. She sped towards the dying brunette. "When did this happen?"

"In the woods, I tripped." Her heartbeat skipped at the fib. Rose shook her head. "It's a lie, I would have smelled it."

Trying to find the source of the self inflicted wound, Rose spotted the knife in Katerina's hand and took it.

"I'd rather die than go back to Klaus. Please, just let me die." She begged, tears falling. Rose shook her head. "If you die then Trevor dies with you."

Bringing her wrist to her mouth,, a loud crunch echoed in the room. Rose drew back, and shoved her bloody wrist into Katerina's mouth.

The brunette fought against the vampire's hold, but her attempts were futile as her wounds heal. It was then, thatTrevor arrived. Katerina shook her head, pounding her fists against the covers in anger.

"No. No!"

"Where is she?" Rose perked up at the sound of her best friend's voice. She ignored Katerina's breakdown and ran out of the room to confront him.

Upset and distraught, Katerina looked around the room for something to use. She didn't want to live anymore. She wouldn't let herself be a prey to the monsters. She was going to be a fighter.

A survivor.

(TRIGGER WARNING! PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!)

Getting up from the bed, she marched towards the rope that rested against the desk. She got it and began tying a noose as quickly as she could. Every so often her eyes darted back to the door where she heard screaming and shouting.

Once she was finished, she threw the rope up and got on the chair. Tying it steady on the ceiling structure, she stuck her head through the noose and tightened it.

She winced as the rope dug into her skin. Good. Once it was secure, she took a deep breath and closes her eyes.

Zakiyah, it is in this moment that I ask for your forgiveness. I shall see you soon my love. I promise you.

And then, she jumped.

(END OF TRIGGER SCENE!)

Mystic Falls, present timing. . .

"YOU KILLED YOURSELF?!" Elena was horrified. Katherine shrugged, unphased by her choice that she made. "Klaus needed a human doppelgänger. As a vampire, I was no longer any use to him."

"But it didn't work. You didn't really escape, you've been running from Klaus ever since."

Katherine ran her tongue over her teeth, lips pursed.

"I underestimated his spirit for vengeance, but living in a suitcase is better than dying so you can have your blood spilled over some silly little rock."

Elena looked ill at ease. Katherine, feeling smug, smirked. She pouted at the human who tried her best to seem unbothered.

"What's wrong? Afraid I'm right? You don't want to die? There's another way out,"

Katherine sliced her wrist open with her nail, blood trickling from the open wound that slowly began to close. Katherine watched, narrating the process.

"Better hurry. Your opportunity is going, going, going and gone," Katherine looked up at Elena, and smiled. "I made the other choice."

England, 1492. . .

KATERINA PETROVA AWOKE WITH A GASP. Her throat was burning, eyes sensitive to the candle light. She winced, trying to collect her memory that was momentarily foggy.

She glanced around the room, noticing she was in a cottage. . .

'What did you do, Katerina? I would have helped you live."

Katerina turned to see Trevor, watching her with sadness in his eyes. He didn't wish this upon her. She deserved better than this life.

Almost immediately, her memories came to her and she realized why she did what she did. And it was in that moment another name floated in her head.

Zakiyah. . .

She was to meet her at midnight in their meadow of flowers. Was she too late? Would Zakiyah still be there if she was to leave now? She needed to see her love. At least one last time before she was to run.

"You would have helped me run. That was never going to be enough."

"It was enough for me."

Was he in love with her?

"Do you not see, Trevor? She used you to help her escape and me to turn her. Klaus will see our role in this."

"And for that I'm sorry." Katerina apologized. She needed to leave to find Zakiyah. Rose nodded. "As am I. . . for this."

Rose rushed over to Katerina with a stake, but the doppelgänger grabbed the old lady to use her as protection. Staking the old lady on the shoulder, Katerina took advantage and drank the old lady's blood to complete her transition.

"Please understand." Horrified, Rose shrieked, "You have just signed our death sentence!"

Katerina shrugged, her conscious unable to feel heavy with guilt. After all, they were going to turn her in.

"Better you die than I."

She didn't want to waste another second in being apart from her one true love. Zakiyah, please still be there. I am coming, my love. I am so sorry I had to keep you waiting for so long.

Throwing the old lady into Trevor's arms, Katerina sped off into the night with her new super speed.

I'm coming to you, angel baby.

Mystic Falls, present timing. . .

"ROSE AND TREVOR SPENT THE LAST 500 YEARS RUNNING BECAUSE YOU USED THEM. Trevor just got killed."

"I never thought he would last that long."

"You don't even care that you ruined their lives." Elena blinked in disbelief. Katherine shrugged, nonchalant. "I was looking out for myself, Elena. I will always look out for myself. If you're smart, you'll do the same."

Maybe then things would've been different had I not been selfish with you Zakiyah. . .

Turning away, Katherine opened the Petrova book. She flipped through the pages absent-mindedly. Elena watched her incredulously.

"So how much of your little story is true?"

Katherine sighed, closing the book. She looked at the Gilbert girl and frowned.

"I have no reason to lie, Elena. I have no reason to do anything, but sit here and read and rot." Elena nodded. "Okay, assuming it's even partially true, that's the reason why you came back isn't it? Because you wanted to be the one to hand me over to Klaus."

"500 years on the run, I figured maybe he'd be willing to strike a deal."

"So you got Mason Lockwood to find you the moonstone."

"Right again."

"What else do you need to break the curse?" Katherine hummed, impressed by Elena's wit. "Hmm, look who is getting smarter."

"It's not just me or the stone, is it?" Elena questioned aloud. Katherine could see the gears turning. She watched, in amusement. "Otherwise there would be no reason to trigger Tyler Lockwood's werewolf curse."

"Witches and their spells: so many ingredients, so many people to sacrifice."

"So you need a werewolf?"

"Believe it or not, they're hard to come by."

"What else?" Elena quizzed. Katherine turned to her doppelgänger. She smiled at Elena, who was starting to piece together what the ritual entailed. "A witch to do the spell. Mine bailed, but Bonnie will do just fine."

"What else?" Katherine hummed, growing tired of the conversation. Her answer was bland. "A vampire."

"Caroline."

"It could have been anyone I suppose, but I like the poetry of Caroline." Katherine mused. Elena shook her head. How could Katherine be so cold? "So you were gonna just hand us all over to be killed?"

Katherine stood to her feet, bringing the book close to her chest. She had enough for today. The memories in England of 1492 was enough to haunt Katherine Pierce for a lifetime.

Especially because of her and what she did.

"Katerina! Please, do not leave me. I am beginning to grow cold. Please hold me one last time before you abandon me. I am sorry to have caused you to loathe me so much to have killed me. Please do not leave me, my love. . . I am begging of you. . . I love you. . ."

Katherine closed her eyes, the pleas of her lover haunting her mind. She bit her lip, fighting off the tears. With her back to Elena, she let one tear fall as she gripped the book tighter to her chest.

Please forgive me, my love.

"Better you die than I."