12Title: Filling in the Blanks
Type: Sometypeof-shot
Setting: Takes place 3x09—Katherine's missing scenes
Warnings: I don't know, mild swearing?
A/N: Sorry this took so long. Um, originally I planned on two chapters but then I felt like I should just give it all to you guys in one go. So this is the last chapter. Thank you to every one who read and reviewed, you guys are awesome! And I hope you like it. It isn't long but it is longer than usual :)
Katherine can't remember the last time she ran so hard. She makes her way past trees and bushes, using her vampiric speed to blur quickly through the forest. Earlier, she had gotten to the edge of the trees near the front of the Lockwood mansion before she had heard Matt calling out to Elena. A brief glance over her shoulder showed the blond holding an unconscious Caroline in his arms before she grinned at him and disappeared. He seemed to have been heading to his car, and right now it's safe to assume that he knows she's not Elena. Katherine may not know why Matt is running but something tells her that the big part of their plan is finally coming into motion and this tells her one thing. She doesn't have much time.
"If you kill me, you're killing him too."
Klaus' voice resonates in her head and her mind buzzes with thoughts. Damon is going to die if Klaus does and she can't help the feeling that overcomes her. On one hand if they kill Klaus she'll be free. She'll have the one thing she's been fighting for, for as long as she can remember and she'll never have to fear that hybrid ever again. Klaus won't die alone but isn't one life worth her freedom? Better you die than I, right? Katherine passes a deer and scares it off. Unconsciously she shudders, since when has she ever second guessed herself? Since when did a man ever come in between her goal? No, actually, now that she thought about it since when has two men ever come between her and her centuries old long mission?
All this thinking will more likely give her a headache than the straight answer she usually has. This should be the easiest decision she ever had to face, but she finds that it's not. Briefly, she thinks about abandoning the plan. Putting a stop to it and then running off for the hills. And no sooner do those thoughts formulate does her self-preservation kick in, reminding her that it isn't only her and the Salvatores killing Klaus; it's also Mikael. And not going through with this plan will not only expose her as Katherine but also officially send two Originals after her life. If they do kill Klaus, Damon will die and in extension she knows it will also hurt Stefan, and she doesn't feel as if she can live with either of those facts. After all she's done she can't bring herself to let two people die. To let the Salvatores die. For a moment she almost laughs because it's so ironic how her humanity decides to kick in now; just as her five hundred year run is finally coming to a close. This thought leaves her with such a big feeling of dread for taking such an enormous risk. And she avoids the question she doesn't want to answer: why is she doing this? Her humanity may be on but she isn't usually this reckless—this stupid.
Katherine stops at the edge of the trees, the back of the Salvatore boarding house in sight. It's dead silent when she walks in through the back door. In the middle of the carpet Stefan lies unconscious. He's not moving and Katherine makes a quick run to the cellar before appearing beside the younger Salvatore and nudging him with her foot.
"Hey, Stefan," she hisses, looking around even though she knows no one should be around at the moment, "Stefan."
He stirs, jolting awake when her foot pushes onto his shoulder and he squints up at her, "Elena?"
"Not exactly," Katherine says, dropping the blood bag beside him, "Pep up, I've only got a minute before they realize I'm not at the party."
"Katherine?"
"Well, please, do take your time," she points to the blood bag with her eyes and Stefan picks it up, bringing it to his lips without another word. Katherine takes a deep breath as she waits, all the while hoping what she's about to do will work. Hope; she hasn't hoped for anything in a long while. She's always been absolutely sure in her tasks and in her decisions, and again, she forces down that dread.
Stefan finishes the entire bag, dropping it to the floor as he gets up.
"If Klaus gets killed he's taking Damon down with him," Katherine reiterates.
"So pull the plug on the plan," his shrug reminds her that this Stefan has no humanity. He would need some convincing, something other than a flat 'Damon will die.'
"And face the wrath of Mikael? We'll all be dead," she watches his face, the gears in his head beginning to try working around the small ounce of humanity trying to push itself in, "Okay look. I know you turned off your humanity and you don't care so there's only one solution."
"What's that?" his voice is only a whisper and she can tell he wants to know, even if only curiously.
"Care, Stefan," Katherine advances towards him, "Care enough to save Damon's life. Because I am going back to that party and I'm seeing this plan through. Klaus will be killed. And we'll have our freedom. But then Damon will be dead. Your brother will be dead, Stefan," she doesn't break eye contact even as he does. This is it, this is where she's placing her bet to see to it that neither of them die, "Unless you care enough to do something about it."
He doesn't say a word in response, but he doesn't look at her either. She has nothing left to say and like she mentioned, she doesn't have time to convince him any further.
Katherine leaves Stefan motionless. He's more than likely fighting away the humanity she knows is eating at him. And though she can't say that she trusts what Stefan will do, Katherine feels that she's at least appeased that part of her that will never want to see the Salvatores dead. Though there's no guarantee in it, she's done something to counteract Damon's demise while also doing nothing she will indefinitely regret.
Before she leaves the boarding house she goes up to Damon's room. She retrieves two wolfs bane grenades and makes it out the door, but not before glancing over her shoulder. As she runs through the forest again she knows that this isn't just about Stefan's humanity; it's about hers too. And tonight, against everything she has wished for and only ever dreamed about, it fought itself in and forced her to take action, no matter how improbable it was.
Just before she breaks through the line of trees Katherine slows down. There are two or three people standing around in the dark of the trees, all human. As she steps onto Lockwood property she glances around; the music and countless people surrounding her once more.
Wait, since when has there been this many people?
The place appears more crowded, if that were even possible and Katherine turns looking around for any familiar face. None. She then notices the lack of people around the mansion itself. In fact, it appears empty compared to where she stood. It's happening. And Damon is probably cursing because Katherine isn't inside. She had been serious when she told Stefan that she would go through with this plan. Klaus has nothing but death waiting for him, Damon has the weapon and she will be the one to drive it through the selfish monster's heart. In normal speed she begins weaving through the crowd. There's not much space and she has a hard time refraining from just picking people up and out of her way. Just as she passes two people grinding up on each other, an arm wraps around her waist in an iron grip while one hand flies over her mouth.
There's the sudden rush of wind that comes when using supernatural speed and suddenly she's at the front porch of the Lockwood mansion and Mikael is standing over her.
"What is this? What are you doing?" she demands, eyeing the unfamiliar guy standing beside her, a hybrid, judging by his grip. She jerks her arm free but fails, "This isn't part of the plan."
"Sorry for the miscommunication, Ms. Gilbert, but you're going to have to play bait for me," Mikael informs her, moving towards the open doorway. She hears someone come towards the door from the inside and instantly knows that it's Klaus. Katherine looks to her captor, his hold on her not firm enough that she couldn't get out of but she knows better than to run.
"Hello, Niklaus," Mikael greets.
"Hello, Mikael. Why don't you come in? Oh that's right you can't."
"Or you could come outside if you want."
Katherine watches over her shoulder as a number of people she had previously tagged as Klaus' hybrids walk out towards the porch, "Or I could watch as my hybrids tear you limb from limb."
"They can't kill me," Mikael reminds him.
"True, but it'll make a hell of a party game. All I have to do is rub these two fingers together and they'll pounce."
Mikael visibly twitches, and Katherine can't seem to understand. Mikael needs her as bait, and somehow he has this hybrid, Klaus' hybrid, holding onto her under his own orders. He flinched but there's no way Mikael would let Klaus get the better of him through his hybrids, especially since they all knew he would show up with them in the first place. Katherine bit her lip, there's no doubt he's playing his son.
"The big bad wolf," it's then that Mikael's expression changes. A dark skinned girl walks by Katherine, not paying her any attention, "You haven't changed. Still hiding behind your play things, like a coward. Oh and you forget, they may be sired by you but they're still part vampire. And they can be compelled by me."
The girl stands beside Mikael and roughly pulls Katherine from the other hybrid's grip, shoving her into Mikael's arms.
"Come out and face me, Niklaus," the older Original challenged, shaking her, "or she dies."
"Go ahead," Katherine turns to Klaus, again surprised by his response, "kill her."
"No, Klaus. H- he'll do it," and she had no doubts Mikael will. It took her a minute to think things through but in the end she's decided to play along. There's no reason for Mikael to kill Elena with something wooden, so she would be safe. And she had also promised herself Klaus demise, her hand or not. This isn't how she had pictured it when Mikael said that he would distract his son but it will have to do. And as much as she wants to be the one inside, staking Klaus will now be up to Damon.
"If she dies, this lot will be the last of your abomination," Mikael indicated with a nod of his head.
"I don't need them. I just need to be rid of you."
"To what end, Niklaus? So you can live forever? With no one at your side? Nobody cares about you anymore, boy," Mikael shouted, "Who do you have? Other than those whose loyalty you forced? No one. No one."
Katherine blinks watching in fascination as Klaus' eyes begin to water, but even as tears stream down his face she feels nothing but a small sense of satisfaction. It isn't everyday that she sees her tormentor being tormented.
"I'm calling your bluff, father. Kill her."
"Come outside. And face me, you little coward. And I won't have to."
"My whole life you've underestimated me. If you kill her you lose your leverage so go ahead. Go on, kill her. Come on, old man, kill her," if Mikael hadn't been behind her, gripping her arm so tightly, Katherine would have stepped back away from Klaus indirect gaze as he goads Mikael on, "KILL HER!"
There's a pause. Mikael breaks it with a chuckle and Katherine anticipates what he'll do. If Elena had been here instead, she would no doubt be dead.
"Ah, your impulse, Niklaus. It has and will forever be, the one thing that keeps you from truly being great."
There's a sudden sharp pain on her back and Katherine can't help but gasp. She sees the shock on Klaus' face and she gasps again as Mikael twists the knife deeper and deeper. Her back arches and she feels blood slipping through her dress. The bastard. With one pull he lets go, and she drops to the floor. It hurts, but she stops herself from reaching behind her, as she feels it already healing. Mikael laughs and Klaus is so in shock he can only turn around before Damon blurs in and stabs him. His shout fills the air and Damon quickly takes the hybrid off his feet, slamming him onto the floor.
The Original hybrid is down and all Damon has to do is stab him again, and this time, in the heart. As Katherine gets to her feet, a voice in the back of her head asks where Stefan is. And she wonders if she really hadn't gotten through to him after all.
"Katherine," Mikael hisses, and she smirks, turning to the hybrids on the front lawn as she reaches into her dress.
"Ka boom," she iterates, as she pops the lid of each wolfs bane grenade and throws it their way, the explosion swallowing the hybrid crowd. Turning around Katherine catches a glimpse of Stefan, tackling his brother off of Klaus. She feels relief, but there's a huge mix of disappointment in it as well.
"What are you doing?" Damon struggles under Stefan, and Katherine can only imagine what this looks like to him. He's just been about to kill Klaus before his compelled little brother betrays him to save his master.
From the corner of her eyes, Katherine sees Klaus turn his attention to the stake beside him and its then she knows it's time for her leave. As she runs to the forest she hears Mikael's scream and the distinctive sound of engulfing flames.
On a dirt path in the middle of the forest, Katherine pulls open the trunk door to her car. Or at least the car she'll be using to get out of dodge. She's changed into less formal attire and is just about to head out of town. She doesn't know, in all that chaos and family drama, if Klaus had noticed her presence but she hopes he hadn't. The driver's door shuts close and Katherine comes face to face with a thirty year old human female.
"Everything is set, Kat," she says, and looks around the dark forest.
"Thanks, Jane," she replies, pulling the woman's attention and staring into her dark eyes, "Now do you remember who you'll be keeping an eye on?"
"The Scooby gang," she replies in a trance, referring to her doppelganger and co.
"And?"
"The Mikaelsons."
"Good, now forget that I was ever here, don't ever talk to anyone about me but remember: contact me if anything happens," the woman nods slowly in response, "Right now, you're tired. You'll head home, take a shower and go to sleep. Goodbye, Jane."
Jane nods again, "Okay. Goodbye, Katherine."
The vampire sighs as she watches her head off in the direction of her home in the dark. The woman she found, Jane, doesn't live too far off. She'll be safe enough as Katherine knows the vampires of Mystic Falls are taking caution not to hunt so openly. And other than vampires, nothing else really goes bump in the night. Katherine shuts the trunk and feels a presence. Quickly she turns, gripping the other vampire around the neck.
Stefan chokes on his words and Katherine lets him go, "Stefan? What are you doing here?"
He holds up his hand, massaging his throat, "I knew you were heading out of town. I thought I could hitch a ride."
Katherine's eyes narrow. He doesn't look the same as before, something has changed, and she states instead of asks, "You got your free will back."
The guilty look on his face says it all. He may not have all his humanity but even without it all he can feel guilt. He nods, "Yeah. So can I get a ride?"
Katherine frowns, running isn't the answer. Albeit, she's not one to talk but she knows it's not the right thing, at least not for Stefan Salvatore. It's his choice to make though and she won't be one to stop him, "I'm sure Damon and Elena won't miss you too much," she quips and when he doesn't respond she tilts her head, "Hop in."
As Stefan gets into the passenger's seat Katherine purses her lips. She doesn't blame him for wanting to get out of town. They had a plan, everything was perfect, and Stefan put a stop to it. Stefan, all by himself. At least as far as anyone else knows. Damon doesn't know why. He doesn't understand right now and Katherine has a feeling that, like herself, Stefan has no intention of explaining his actions. Not even to herself.
Pulling open the driver's seat door she hops in, slamming it shut. Katherine pulls off the dirt path onto paved road. Neither speak. It's not too long before she sees the edge of town and they speed pass the departure sign for Mystic Falls.
A/N: R&R as you please. Tell me what you think!