It was kind of strange. She wasn’t sure why she was here. It wasn’t like she actually owed her anything, but maybe it was her overly good character or her sense of honor. Either way, she came.
She knew her boyfriend and his sarcastic older brother were at the Grill tonight; they had made a point to tell her after a long phone call. Still, she didn’t feel like joining them or their friends. To be honest, it felt like her mind was occupied by just one person, coincidentally someone she didn’t want to think about.
That was why, almost against all her feelings, she drove to the Salvatore house, entering the large home in search of just one person: Katherine. In her mind, the faster she dealt with this issue, the sooner she could return her thoughts to their normal path and, finally, get a good night’s sleep. And God, she longed for that.
Her eyes scanned the corners of the mansion, not really wanting to call out for the person she was looking for. Something about saying her name aloud made her feel desperate, but it didn’t stop her from searching the house for the woman. As she walked toward the grand living room, a low, almost raspy voice echoed behind her, making her let out a small gasp of surprise. She turned her head, a nearly forced smile on her face.
“Your boyfriend’s not here,” said the doppelgänger, leaning against the doorframe with a blood bag in her hands.
“Katherine,” she breathed out, almost as if it were a sigh she didn’t know she had been holding.
The centuries-old woman said nothing, merely took another sip of her blood as she walked past her younger counterpart, letting her body sink onto the couch by the fireplace.
Elena watched her as if she were a spectacle—and in a way, she was. The way she moved was almost impressively subtle; even in a few steps, she seemed to leave a mark on the floor with her graceful movement. She was almost like a fox in human—or rather, vampire—form.
Running a hand through her hair, Elena took a few steps closer to the doppelgänger, stopping just behind the couch. Her hands hung awkwardly at her sides. For some reason, she felt more unprepared than usual in this woman’s presence.
“I, uh, didn’t come looking for him.”
She could feel Katherine’s amusement rise, along with a sly smile spreading across her face.
“Damon’s not here either.”
Rolling her eyes, Elena continued, “I’m not here to see him either.” She saw a faint wrinkle form between Katherine’s brows, but before the older woman could question her, Elena went on. “I came to see you.”
For some reason, she couldn’t really keep her eyes on Katherine as she said those words. She glanced toward the wall beside them before returning her gaze, finding Katherine’s mischievous smile. It was almost comical how the woman looked at her.
“Oh, really?”
“Hmhm.” She could feel her cheeks heating—not for any conventional reason, but because she could sense how she might look in front of the confident, smirking woman.
She felt vulnerable.
“Well, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?” Katherine dropped the blood bag and sat on her legs. “Do you need me to save your ass again?”
Elena almost laughed, moving around the couch and sitting next to the infamous vampire.
“Actually,” Elena began, noticing Katherine’s slightly curious look, “I came here to apologize for my behavior earlier.” Katherine adjusted her posture, almost relaxing as she turned her body to face Elena. “You helped me, and you didn’t have to do that. You did it because you wanted to, and it saved me. So, what I mean to say is—”
“Thank you?” Katherine interjected, raising an eyebrow and smiling smugly.
Elena held back an eye roll, offering a small smile instead. “Yeah. Thank you, Katherine.”
“You’re welcome, Elena.”
There was something behind Katherine’s tone when she responded, something Elena didn’t immediately pick up on but could feel. It was almost as if Katherine wanted to say more but didn’t, as if she held the words back in her throat, putting on her best poker face. But it didn’t work on Elena. She could tell when Katherine’s expressions betrayed her—after all, they had identical faces.
Before Elena could question her, she heard the doors opening and two familiar voices entering the room almost immediately. In a blur, Katherine’s presence vanished from the couch as quickly as she had appeared.
Elena turned toward where the older woman had been. “Katherine,” she murmured, touching the space where Katherine had just sat. She almost felt like something had shifted in those brief seconds.
“Elena!” Stefan’s cheerful voice pulled her from her thoughts. “What are you doing here?”
Forcing a smile, she almost put on a mask, returning to the role she always played: predictable Elena.
“Waiting for you.” A kiss was placed on her head, and a shiver ran down her spine.
Almost resembling discomfort. Her mind drifted back to someone who hadn’t occupied it before: Katherine.
For some reason, it had all become about Katherine again.