❝alone in a crowded room❞

KATHERINE EYES THE ODD GROUP GATHERED BEFORE HER IN THE BOARDING HOUSE LIVING ROOM, WHICH HAS BECOME A RENDEZVOUS POINT OF SORTS FOR THEM. 

Rose, Elijah, Damon, and Caroline sit around her, carrying out multiple conversations, most of which the important details have been left out in her case, with stern glares from Damon when any of them come close to slipping up in front of her. She can't say she doesn't blame them, considering her infamous history, but it's irritating to think that he's gotten them all to catch on and actually think before they speak in front of her. 

Privately, deeper down than she ever likes to go inside her own mind, she understands it. She wouldn't trust herself, either. She doesn't trust herself to begin with, so their behavior isn't all that surprising. Still, that small voice in her head that she has dutifully silenced and ignored for the past five hundred years and counting seems determined to make her feel what she can only imagine is guilt. Simply because her actions have landed her in position that one can only compare to glorified prisoner, with no one on her side in the long run, even as they work to defeat a common enemy– her doppelgänger.  

"It is a little weird, though, right?" 

Katherine looks up from her lap, thin brows furrowing as she looks to Caroline. Before she can do it herself, and ultimately get shut down, Rose prompts her to elaborate. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, like, last week I was wondering what I'd be getting for lunch and now I'm planning to kill one of my best friend's." 

Damon smirked, shifting in his seat on an overstuffed chair. His hands clasp together in his lap and he shoots the blonde an amused look. "And I've been plotting against my pathetic little brother for most of our lives, have planned to kill his girlfriend and her insufferable doppelgänger, and get to see my wife again after over a century of being apart. I win, Barbie." 

Rose reaches over from the couch and slaps Damon's arm, making him feign offense. "It is a bit odd, Caroline. I've nearly died twice," She gives Elijah a pointed look and he has the decency to look away with a small smile on his face at her light, taunting tone. "I may be the first vampire that's survived a werewolf bite, and now I'm working with the vampires I spent five hundred years running from." 

Katherine moves, draping her head over the arm of the couch so her vision is flipped upside down as she looks at the group. "Well, I was stuck in a tomb for weeks, left to rot and die by Mr. Husband of the Year over there, all because I sort-of, sort-of-didn't kill his wife in a fit of jealousy. And now I'm being forced to help kill my doppelgänger, even though as soon as she's dead, I'm next." 

Damon hums, bright eyes lit up dangerous and amused. "Isn't it crazy how quick the tables can turn?" 

Caroline snorts a laugh, unable to contain it. She was wronged by Katherine, and even though her vampirism was for the better in the long run, it wasn't something she could forgive easily. If she thought she held grudges bad as a human, it was a hundred times worse as a vampire, which didn't bode well for Katherine. 

"Yeah, I mean, my life is in the hands of a thousand year old hybrid who I've yet to meet, and currenly the only thing going for me is my sort-of boyfriend doesn't remember that I'm a blood-sucking vampire." 

She huffs a laugh that's borderline humorless and shakes her head. "And it's really crazy, because I don't really care if Matt thinks I'm a monster, it's just the fact that as soon as he figures out I don't like Elena anymore, he'll hate me. Because everyone chooses Elena over me," 

"Oh, Caroline," Rose stretches across the short distance on the couch between them, patting her leg softly. "You're young still, especially as a vampire. It's alright to be frightened about what could happen, but you're much stronger than you realize, and if you can handle the things you've been through so far, I'm sure you can handle Klaus just as well as anyone else, let alone a bit of heartache from a boy that's undeserving of you in the first place." 

Caroline gives her a shaky, but grateful smile and wipes away her tears that had slipped down her cheeks.

Katherine watches as the people fret over Caroline's minor distress, and she doesn't miss the purposeful exclusion of her name amidst all of this. How no one quite mentioned the fact that she is the reason Caroline's life fell apart, even if was eventually destined to anyways. Katherine certainly sped up the process by a few decades at least. 

Katherine looks sadly down at her pristine, uncalloused hands to examine them. It was something that bothered her, moreso lately than ever before– she'd always been grateful for her healing factor, she'd be dead without it, but she had no calluses. She had no scars to show what she'd been through, no proof that she ever bore a child, no proof that she survived an Original.

And on the flip side of that, she had no proof of the lives she's taken with her uncalloused hands. When she put that pillow over Caroline's face, the girl's perfectly manicured fingernails had dug into her skin so hard it drew blood. But immediately, it was gone. The proof that Katherine ever touched Caroline was gone as quickly as Caroline's life was, and no proof of it was even on Caroline unless you knew she was a vampire.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair for Katherine to live so freely, and be able to run away from the lives she'd ruined. But because she could heal, she could forget all the bad she's done just as quickly as her skin closed again.

"You're just a girl," Elijah's refined voice broke through the soft murmurs, and Katherine looked at him inquisitively. "A girl who has recently decided to put her life on the line working for my brother, who just so happens to be a bit of a tempermental psychopath." 

All of them, spare Katherine, huffed a laugh at his harmless jab. Katherine wondered what it felt like to not be afraid of Klaus Mikaelson. 

"But it is much more than that, isn't it?" He shifts, raising a brow at her with a soft smile that displays his possibly endless wisdom. "You've been wronged by these so-called friends of yours, and by a boy who couldn't possibly be less worthy of your time. You have an eternity ahead of you, Caroline, and it is so very rare for people like us to have a chance at true happiness, but I believe if anyone does, it's you." 

Elijah smiled, sparing a glance at Rose to silently include her in his words. "And my family might be infamously dangerous, and considered one of the biggest threats to our people– and make no mistake, we are just that, but when above all of our various dealings and wars, we have something much more important than power. We have loyalty, and when you're apart of this family, you're in it for life." 

All of the vampires around her cracked laughs at Caroline's grumbling eye roll and choked whimper as she wiped at her cheeks. 

"Guys," Caroline shook her head. "My mascara is ruined. This sucks."

Laughter echoed through the boarding house, and the misfit group of vampires all had a moment of peace before the storm came, and they all relished in it. They settled only slightly, sharing looks of trust, and looks of genuine happiness, as fleeting as it was for them all.

Katherine propped her elbow on the armrest of the couch, a smirk on her face as she looked at the four of them, desperate to rid herself of that cavernous, wretched cavity in her chest as they all found comfort in each other outside of her perimeter. 

Clearing her throat, she drew the attention to herself.  "Are we about to have an orgy?"

A collective, "Katherine!" echoed, and Katherine's laughter followed it, genuine in sound and feeling, even if no one realized it.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈•ﾟ｡

"Oh, who is this guy? Safari Sam?"

Klaus walks out, holding the two god-awful plaid shirts up to his chest. "Okay. Bad, or badder?"

Rosemary shrugs, sparing him a brief glance. "Dark colors suit you best, Klaus,"

The hybrid smirks, the action familiar even in the unfamiliar body he possessed. "Oh, thank you, darling."

"Pop quiz," Klaus shrugs the shirt on, turning around to face the two vampires before him. "The dagger and white ash are in Damon's possession, correct?"

"Yes–"

"I wouldn't know, considering you won't let me leave yet." Rosemary gives him a passive aggressive smile that he rolls his eyes at.

"Ah, ah, don't get snippy with me, Rosemary. You'll see your husband soon enough."

"Snippy was forty years ago, I'm edging towards homicide at this point."

Klaus winces and faces his brother, who simply looks amused at the interaction. "Moving on. Elijah, the dagger needs to stay in Damon's possession, especially if the Bennett witch knows how to utilize it against one of you. We can't have you dying on us anytime soon," 

He claps his hands together enthusiastically and mutters, "Although, you are a bit of a buzzkill."

Elijah rolls his eyes. "Don't forget, you're on the outs with your girlfriend."

"Oh, right. Elena's aunt, for all the lies about Isobel," Klaus shakes his head exasperatedly. "Human drama has much less death than ours, it's rather boring."

Klaus shakes his shoulders and holds his arms out, spinning around in a dramatic circle. "Well, how do I look? Disgustingly human?"

"You look like a sad man hitting middle age, struggling to cope with life. I think the disgusting part is just you."

Klaus glares. "Thank you, Rosemary."

She holds her glass of bourbon up to him, her plump lips spread in a sarcastic smile. "I'm here all day. And night. Stuck in this disgusting," She drags two fingers across the side table beside the chair she's in. "Poverty-stricken apartment."

Elijah turns to her, an amused smile on his face. "You certainly haven't lost your charm after all these years, Rosemary."

She grins, and Klaus rolls his eyes at the two. "You two can stay here and giggle over your plentiful insults about me, but I'm going to lay eyes on my precious doppelgänger."

The door slams shut behind him and Rosemary's grin falls as she meets Elijah's prodding, knowing stare again. "How is he?"

"Better," Elijah sits in front of her, clasping his hands politely. "Much better than when I first contacted him here."

She nods, and forces a smile even if it's pitifully sad. "Did I do the right thing? Convincing Klaus to let Rose live? I just didn't want him to be lonely anymore, he needed someone who could be a friend."

Elijah sighs, giving her a sympathetic but knowing look. "I certainly can't disagree when it comes to Rose, she's become important to me, to us all. As for your husband, I have complete faith that you've done everything you can to ensure he'll be alright until your arrival."

Rosemary stores his words for later for when she'll need the comfort, and grins mischievously. "Is that fondness I hear in your tone, Elijah? Do you like Rose-Marie?"

Elijah rolls his eyes playfully, but avoids meeting her gaze for a moment. When he does, his own face is downtrodden like hers was a few moments ago. "Is it wrong of me? I killed the man she considered a brother, yet she still treats me with kindness."

Rosemary sighs and shifts, crossing one of her long legs against the other. "If she has the heart to move past that, she has the heart to care for a man like you, no matter what. That isn't something you come across often with us, so don't lose it."

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈•ﾟ｡

author's note; this chapter was such a bitch to rewrite because of the plot changes i'm planning,, lord help me why do i do this to myself

edited and published; 11.1.22. 

- liz