My mother always told me that love was the most powerful feeling in the world—stronger than hatred, stronger than sorrow. She believed it could conquer anything. And for a time, so did I. I always thought that loving someone and being loved in return was the greatest gift life could offer.

However...now I realise that loving someone with all your heart can also be a curse—a curse so consuming it takes everything from you...

Even your life.

And for who?

The only person you couldn't and shouldn't be with. It was as if the universe was playing tricks with you.

...

I wake up with a gasp, feeling dizzy—unconscious even, my body covered in cold sweat and my head hurting so much it's almost unbearable.

The world around me is a blur, but I force my eyes open, trying to make sense of where I am.

"Woah woah easy there, we don't want you to pass out on us again" a familiar voice says, cutting through the haze. Damon.

I turn toward him, blinking rapidly to clear my vision. Beside him, I make out Elena and Bonnie, their faces painted with a mix of worry, confusion, and something that feels like fear.

"How are you feeling?" Bonnie asks softly, kneeling down so we're at eye level. Her concern is palpable, grounding me just a little.

"W-what happened, exactly?" My voice cracks, echoing my confusion.

"You tell us," Damon retorts, crossing his arms. His eyes study me, as if trying to solve some kind of a puzzle. "One minute, you're fine. Then boom, you're out cold. Full on zombie—white eyes, mumbling nonsense about Klaus, castles, and stars falling. Suddenly you just wake up."

Klaus.

His name hits me like tones of bricks, unlocking fragments I wish I could push back into the dark. My head spins with images—visions, dreams, memories?—so vivid they feel like they could consume me. Me and Klaus. Together? It couldn't be true.

I can't decide whether i should characterise what I saw a dream or a nightmare. Well, at this point it could be both.

What I also couldn't believe is that I was a witch. Descendant of Lilith, heir of the chevalier witches powers.

So, what? I lived in the 1500s, a reckless witch who couldn't control her power—burning houses and villages to ash—then fell in love with the most ruthless vampire in existence? Klaus Mikaelson? The same Klaus who, in my visions, was... kind. Sweet, even. And I sacrificed myself for him?

This better be some sick joke.

But the bigger question looms, burning in my chest: how the hell am I still alive?

"Guys let's just give her a second," Elena protests, her tone sharp but compassionate.

"I swear if klaus is behind this I'll—"

"What did I say?" I sit up slowly, rubbing my temples "In the... vision, or dream, or whatever that was?

"You were talking about some castle" Damon starts "and falling stars, klaus, that you choose wrong."

"And darkness." Elena adds, her voice quieter now, uncertain.

Bonnie looks at me, her brows furrowed. "You kept saying something was coming... that it was inevitable. Maddison, what did you see?"

I don't know how to answer them, because the truth is... I don't even know what's real anymore. But even if everything I saw was real. What could I possibly say? I loved your now enemy, who has been torturing us, threatening us and who has killed some of your loved ones and nearly us?

Or that I'm a witch who died centuries ago and was somehow magically reborn? No. I couldn't tell them the truth—not any of it. As much as I wanted to, the words stuck in my throat

So I lied.

"I saw Klaus that's for sure," I said, forcing my voice to sound steady. "But I don't remember anything about castles or darkness. The only thing I remember is that he was trying to get me to confess where and how we found Mikael..."

Mikael. The name alone made my stomach hurt. Maybe it was better that I didn't remember everything—the sheer hatred I'd once felt for him, the memories of what he'd done.

Guess what though: that hatred was starting to bubble up again. It was like a wound reopening, fresh and raw. Mikael killed my best friend, her mother, and everyone I'd ever loved—all in his obsessive plan to destroy Klaus. He was the reason I died.

That heartless monster.

Suddenly, guilt starts creeping in. Damon's and Katherine's plan was to bring Mikael back... Was that why Klaus wasn't around? Did they set this chaos in motion?

No. Stop. Come on Maddison don't be stupid. He's the enemy remember? Klaus is the bad guy. Pull yourself together.

But...that's the thing...He is the bad guy. Back then? He was everything other than that.

"Damon I told you, you shouldn't have told him!" Elena snaps, glaring daggers at him.

"He was about to kill me Elena, I had to make him stop somehow!" Damon shot back, his tone sharp.

"Guys! Your screams are not exactly helping here." Bonnie's voice cut through the tension, firm but calm. Then she turns back to me, her gaze steady. "So how exactly did klaus invade your mind?"

"I don't know," I reply with a shrug, doing my best to sound indifferent. "Isn't he, like, a thousand years old? He probably has witches working for him. It's not exactly beyond him, is it?"

"At least we've bought ourselves some time. Klaus is terrified of Mikael. That's leverage. Let's use it." His words hang heavy in the air, the implication clear.

...

The next morning, the guilt wouldn't let up. It was impossible to get any sleep—not after what had happened just hours ago. My eyes were wide open, fixed on the ceiling above my bed, my mind racing, overanalyzing everything.

I don't know what was worse or what I should feel more guilty about.

The fact that had lied to my friends about...well, everything?

Or that I was now part of a plan to destroy the one person I once loved, by resurrecting his father—the same man I hated with every fiber of my being

Do I love Klaus anymore?

No. Of course not. I couldn't. I shouldn't. It's complicated. Feelings don't just return after everything he's done. Not after everything he put me and my friends through. I still hate him...That's the right thing to do. I can't betray my friends.

Suddenly, I feel my heart racing, my body going numb, like a spark ignited deep inside me. I try to calm myself, focusing on my breath, but nothing works. That spark only grows stronger, filling every inch of me with heat.

I smell smoke.

I turn my head and see that my floor is covered in flames.

My heart thunders in my chest as panic sets in. I cry out, my voice hoarse. "Damon!"

Not a second ago Damon vamp speeds into the room his eyes widening at the sigh of fire.

"What the hell happened?!" he demands, scooping me up into his arms and vamp-speeding me out of the room.

"I—I don't know," I stammer, panic rising in my chest as tears spill down my face. Damon doesn't waste any time, setting me down at the top of the stairs before rushing back to fight the flames.

...

"Well, did you forget to turn off your straightener or something?" Damon says, his voice laced with sarcasm, though his worry is clear. He pulls me back into his arms, this time holding me in a comforting hug.

I lean into him, letting my body relax in his embrace. "Ass," I mutter under my breath, annoyed by his joke in the middle of all this. Then, I pull back slightly to meet his gaze. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Maddie," he replies with a small smile.

Before I can process the moment, a voice I never wanted to hear again cuts through the air.

"Well, that was cute," Rebekah says, her tone dripping with sarcasm as both she and Stefan step into the hallway, their eyes on us.

Ah, right. Did I forget to mention Klaus managed to get Stefan to actually turn his humanity off this time?

Great, just another reason to hate him.

"What are you doing here?" I shoot Rebekah a venomous look, my irritation flaring.

"Well, hello, roomie," she says, her smile dripping with mockery.

"Wait, I'm sorry. What?" I stare at her, completely thrown off.

...

Authors note!!!

Maddison's powers activating again might actually be the best thing that could happen to her.

Well, it will take some time to get used to it but I have faith her.

By the way, see?
I didn't take months to update again :)

Anyways that's all for now.

With love,
Chrysa<3