Kaitlyn P.O.V.

I had been meeting up with Stefan every day for 2 weeks now, where he taught me to defend myself and how to attack. It was safe to say that I was getting better.

Meanwhile, Klaus had been completely MIA, probably getting all of his things ready for the sacrifice ritual. This also meant that Elijah had been meeting with Damon and Stefan often, discussing how they would kill Klaus, and how Elena would be kept alive.

In fact, Elijah was at the Salvatore House right now, and the others had asked me to join as well. They were all leisurely sitting on the couch, a contrast to the high-stake conversation, and Elijah was presenting a jar with some kind of elixir in it.

It was the full moon tonight, so it was to be assumed, that the sacrifice would happen by the end of the night. It was 11:50 in the morning right now, so we had a little bit of time.

"This is an elixir that I acquired some 500 years ago for Katerina. It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation," Elijah was explaining, while everyone else looked skeptical.

"So I'll be dead?" Elena made sure, and Elijah nodded.

"And then you won't."

"That's your plan? A magical witch potion with no expiration date?" Damon spat in frustration, looking at Elena. " What if it doesn't work, Elena?"

"Then I'll just be dead," she shrugged.

Shouldn't she at least be trying to stay alive? I mean, this girl chose every way to get herself killed, it was a wonder she wasn't dead yet.

Damon left the room in a hurry, probably too annoyed with Elena's carelessness to listen to the rest.

"Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?" Elena asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"Of course he does. He's waited like a gazillion years for this Elena."

"Kaitlyn is right," Elijah agreed. "Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years. If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will."

∆ ∆ ∆

"Kaitlyn, can I speak to you for a minute," Elijah said privately before he was about to leave the house.

"Yeah, what's up?" I asked impatiently.

I felt tingly and irritated, wanting to run through a field or something, to get all this adrenaline out. I had also not slept well at all for the past few weeks. I kept seeing my mother in my dreams. Luckily enough, I hadn't seen her in real life since that day in Stefan's garden, but I still was wary of my surroundings.

"Are you feeling alright?" he questioned lightly, and my gaze snapped to him.

"I'm fine," I said emotionlessly. "Why are you asking? Do I not seem alright to you?"

My strong defensiveness probably didn't help the situation, because he sighed and folded his arms across his chest.

"Have you had another panic attack?" At my annoyed glare, he corrected himself. "Um, shortness of breathing?"

"No," I lied.

I had attempted to go to my mother's grave a couple more times for these 2 weeks, but every time I set foot in the cemetery, the guilt would choke me until it brought tears to my eyes.

"Just know that I'm here for you," Elijah reminded, but I wasn't listening.

My eyes were darting around outside, making sure that my mother wasn't for some reason appearing again. My heart started rapidly beating as I saw movement, and I stood up straighter, so quickly that I almost snapped my spine in the process. I then relaxed when I saw it was just an old woman.

"Kaitlyn? Kaitlyn!" Elijah was waving his hand over my face, and I blinked rapidly, his expression coming back into focus.

"Huh?" I asked dumbly. "Oh yeah, thanks for the support Elijah, but really, I'm fine. I, uh, need to go. Bye!"

I practically dashed out of the house, feeling a little guilty for blatantly lying to him. But I didn't like telling people about my weaknesses. I didn't want them to feel sorry for me, but at the same time, I wanted them to be there for me. They should know that I'm going through something, but they shouldn't ask what.

Never mind, that makes absolutely no sense.

I went to the Grill to have a drink, staying there for probably an hour before I knew I had to go back. The others needed everyone on board.

I checked my phone to see that I had three messages from Caroline. And with each one, my heart sank in fear.

Caroline: (12:24)

Kaitlyn, it's the middle of the day, and I am so drunk right now hAhAAaaa, åƒå√∆‚ººª∂©«ª∑∂©º«∂∫å‚~µ∫ç∆. Tyler hasn't called me back and Matt doesn't wanna see me so, lkadklajdlakjjdlkasjskj

Caroline: (12:47)

So, um, you know how I blabber when I'm not sober. I'm SO sorry Kaitlyn. I said something I shouldn't have. I'm really sorry if they get mad at you.

Caroline: (12:48)

I tried to take it back, but I've told them too much now. Please forgive me.

What had she said that was so bad? And who had she told it to? I didn't remember telling her anything that drastic, so maybe it was just her drunk self freaking out. I decided not to worry about it at the moment.

I had walked so quickly away, that I was almost out of the middle of town. My eyes nearly bulged out of my sockets as I saw 2 people walking across the parking place a few meters away. They seemed to be in a conflict.

They were Jules and Tyler.

I sucked in deep breaths, trying to decrease my heart rate and to stop seeing spots. My legs were shaking with fright at the thought of Liam being back in town as well.

Wasn't that pathetic? A girl who was so afraid of her own brother.

"I told you not come," I heard Jules say sternly as I walked closer.

"She's my mother. I had to," Tyler scoffed.

His mother had had a terrible fall, which now that I realized, I was sure was not an accident like she claimed it was. If Tyler and Jules were back in town, then that must mean that Liam is back as well. It was the smartest to expect the worst.

I was about to leave when I heard Caroline's voice speak to Tyler. I inched back towards them, wanting to keep a good distance.

Suddenly I recognized the witch from Klaus walking up behind him, along with Maddox. They attacked the two, and then knocked them out, dragging Caroline and Tyler with them.

I ran after them to try and help, but they were too far away, already getting into their car and driving away. I started running back to the Salvatore House.

"Guys!" I barged into the living room, happy that they were all still together.

Alaric, Elena, Stefan, Damon, and Bonnie looked up at me with an unidentifiable expression. I didn't pay attention to it though. I had something more important to say.

"Guys, something horrible happened," I panted, bending over to catch my breath.

"Oh please, don't even try to spin some kind of tale to cover this one up," Elena spat, getting up angrily.

"What?" I asked in surprise, standing up again. "What the heck are you talking about?"

"We found out Kaitlyn," Damon pinched the bridge of his nose. "We know that Liam is your brother."

"What?" I spluttered. "Well, yeah, that's another messed up story for another time. Why does that matter anyway? And how do you know him?"

"Caroline told us," Bonnie explained quietly. "How he's an angel like you and is most likely working for Klaus, and definitely working with Jules."

"Yeah, and that's horrible. But we can deal with that afterward. Right now, we need to save Caroline and Tyler. They've–" I got interrupted by Elena, who looked extremely impatient.

"We know you're working with him!" she yelled, sending the room into silence.

Bonnie looked confused, Damon looked disappointed, Elena looked livid, Alaric looked angry, and Stefan looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Let's just let Kaitlyn explain this," he suggested lightly, and the room lapsed into yelling as people fought.

"You think I'm working with that monster?!" I shrieked, and they turned towards me. "And Caroline was drunk by the way! She could have been twisting the story with her own opinions! You're not even going to let me speak? I thought we were friends, I have helped you guys with everything for the past few months, and you're just going to throw it in my face?!"

"Fine, explain," Damon ordered, looking curious. "Tell us why you would hide the fact that your brother is indulged in a plot that could possibly kill all of us. Tell us how you would help us kill your own blood. Tell us why you couldn't have been helping him this entire time. I mean, you have been talking to Katherine a lot. For all we know, she could be involved as well!"

"Are you serious?" my voice cracked as I looked at Damon. "Out of EVERYONE, I thought at least you would be on my side."

"I'm sorry Kaitlyn," Damon defended, not sounding apologetic at all. "Out of everyone, I thought you were the one with the least baggage."

"Are you really that stupid?" I spat. "I've been on the run from people for years! I've almost gotten caught numerous times! One time I actually did! I spent decades locked up and experimented on! You think I don't have baggage! But that's not the point. The point is, that you guys would still so easily turn on me. Because of her!"

I pointed towards Elena, who looked surprised that I would even think of accusing her.

"From the VERY beginning, you have hated me. I didn't even do anything to you! In fact, I even tried to be friends with you. But you used me, accused me, and mistreated me. And now you're convincing them that I'm a traitor? A spy?"

She turned a little red but crossed her arms indignantly.

"I can't help but look at the facts Kaitlyn," she said quietly. "There's no way your own brother would hurt you, but he will hurt us. And you're working with him! Just admit it! You came here months before he did so that you could get to know us all, find out our weaknesses. You tried to gain our trust so that you could just kill us in the end!"

"Is that really what you guys think?" I addressed the rest of the room, everyone except Elena avoiding my gaze. "That I would do something like this?"

Suddenly, Stefan got up from the couch and stood by my side. He looked startled that he even did it, but he put his arm around my shoulders and faced the others.

"Guys, please, let's just think for a minute. Kaitlyn wouldn't actually do this right? I mean, you didn't even know your brother was in town until a few days ago right?" he looked at me with hope.

"Actually," I croaked. "He arrived weeks ago, probably even earlier."

"See?" Elena yelled. "She knows his whereabouts! Isn't that suspicious?"

"Please Elena," Stefan quieted her. "I'm just trying to understand Katie's point of view on this."

"Liam is my psychotic brother who is back in town because of me. He's not interested in any of you," I gave a pointed look to Elena. "And I'm going to take care of him. I'm not going to let you guys get hurt because you're trying to help me. Caroline wasn't even supposed to know, she found out accidentally."

"Oh really? He's not interested in us? Then how come he was sleeping with Isobel, and assumedly working with Jules?" Elena asked angrily.

"He is just making allies in case something goes wrong. He's spoken with Klaus before as well. Klaus told me himself."

"Right, when you were, um, kidnapped," Elena made air quotations with her hands. "Klaus also just HAPPENED to tell you what you were, which was the answer to the question you've been asking yourself for decades."

"What exactly are you accusing me of now Elena?" I glared at her. "That I'm also working with Klaus? That I'm one of the bad guys who plan on killing you? Cause I'm definitely thinking about it right now!"

I took a threatening step towards her, but Damon walked in front of her in a protective stance. I faltered, my heart beating in a betrayed tone.

"I don't even know why I'm defending myself against you guys," I laughed with mirth. "You obviously don't believe me."

I shook Stefan's hand off my shoulder and stomped out of the door, leaving it wide open in my wake.

"By the way," I yelled after them. "I came here to tell you that Caroline and Tyler were kidnapped! Good luck dealing with everything WITHOUT ME!"

I was too angry to even cry. With my luck, they didn't even need me in the first place, making my whole existence in this town utterly worthless.

My worst fear was coming true. Now that I had finally made good friends who I relied on, they had left me. Even worse, they thought I was a monster, hell-bent on hurting them. And I had absolutely no idea how to convince them that I wasn't.

I didn't want to blame Caroline for this, but I couldn't help but feel irrational anger towards her. I tried to tell myself that it was my fault for involving her with this in the first place, but I felt betrayed by her.

I needed a drink.

∆ ∆ ∆

A countless amount of shots later, I was dangling off the bar on my stool for dear life. I had been tipping it back and forth, sometimes hoping that I would just fall off and hit my head hard enough to blackout.

I wanted to feel numb, but I guess I was an emotional drunk.

"Hey, another one!" I yelled at the bartender, who ended up being Matt.

"No," he said firmly. "Let me take you home Katie."

"I thought you hated me!" I drawled, chuckling a little bit at the end of the sentence. "What happened to screw you, Kaitlyn. Go hang out with your other friends! Well actually, come to think of it, I don't have any friends anymore Ratty Matty!"

Matt's mouth formed a flat line as he put the drink down he was holding.

"Oh, and then you came to my apartment and physically unleashed your anger!"

"Kaitlyn, you were right. It took me some time to process the supernatural. And I was going to come to apologise to you, but you seemed like you were extremely busy all the time," Matt said meekly.

"Busy? I'm freaking swamped! I have a friend about to get murdered by a petty gazillion-year-old, a murderous brother who is hell-bent on unleashing chaos, friends who think I'm an evil psychopath, and an angel crisis on my hands that I have no idea how to deal with!"

"Kaitlyn, I–"

"Uh..no! Zip it!" I leaned forward drunkenly.

"Kaitlyn!"

"ZIP. IT."

I hopped off the stool and went to go sit in one of the corner booths. A few minutes later, a fat guy who smelled like sour onions slid in next to me.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing all by yourself?" he asked, clearly sober.

"Hiding from ugly, stinky people like yourself," I slurred, inching away.

"Aw, don't be like that," the guy laughed. "Let's go to my apartment."

"I said no you gibface!" I yelled, and his face screwed up in confusion at the ancient word that probably hadn't been used since the 1900s.

"Let's go," he hissed, grabbing my arm and hauling me up.

As soon as he touched me, he was suddenly pulled off, landing on the floor in a heap. I looked up dizzily to see a hand extended towards me, and I took it, letting the unfamiliar person help me stand up.

"You alright love?" a British-accented voice asked, and I looked up to see an unfamiliar handsome man looking at me.

"I probably need a shower now," I giggled. "That man stank."

I didn't recognize the man, but the word "love" sparked a familiar feeling in me, and I struggled to think where I had heard it before.

"Hey man, we were only talking," the stinky man got up again.

"No, you were looking to take advantage of this intoxicated lady. Leave, now. Before I do something I regret. I don't particularly like men who think they have more power than me."

He must have done something, because the stinky fat man squeaked at the sight of his face, and ran out of the Grill.

"Okay, let's just get you in some fresh air," the unfamiliar man led me outside and propped me against a wall.

"Thank you for helping me," I said gratefully, sobering up a little once the cold air hit my face. "What's your name?"

"Er.." the man looked hesitant for a moment.

"You don't have a name?" I raised an eyebrow.

"It's Nik," he finally said after some thought.

"Hm, okay," I murmured. "Thank you, Nik. Anyway, I should be going."

He looked puzzled with himself for a minute as if he was questioning why he was even helping me, and I took the opportunity to walk away.

As soon as I made it around the corner, I started running. The fast movement kicked in the reminder that I was still drunk, and I swayed and waddled for a few meters before I decided I needed a break.

The woods weren't too far away, and no one would bother me there, so I dragged my numbing body into the safety of the trees, leaning against one in particular.

"Kaitlyn," I heard a faint voice say.

My head spun around as I tried to look for the source of the voice.

"Kaitlyn," I heard the voice say more urgently this time, and made out a slightly glowing figure a few yards away, behind a tree.

"Who are you?" I yelled, and the figure seemed to float towards me, getting brighter as it got closer.

Wow, I must be drunker than I thought.

"Why do you always get yourself into situations like this?" the figure whispered, and her face came into view.

"Mom?" I gasped, still leaning against the tree. "Is that really you? In the flesh?"

"No baby, not in the flesh," she said sadly, now standing right in front of me. "You're getting stronger. You can actually hear me now."

"Are you a ghost?" I croaked in confusion, trying to touch her face, but my hand just fell through the mirage.

"Sort of," she smiled. "You're able to see the ghosts of previous angels Lynie."

"Tell me who killed you, mom," I sobbed quietly, wanting to feel the warmth of her hug. "Tell me who it is."

She shook her head quietly. "That's not my job. You need to figure that out. And deep down, I think you already know."

"I know they drained you, but how? Was it with that sword? The one that can either give an angel power or take it? The one I saw in Liam's trailer?"

She didn't answer.

"Is he gonna kill me Mommy?" my voice cracked. "I don't know how to stop him. I don't have any friends to help me anymore."

"I know you'll figure it out baby," she said soothingly. "You always do."

She started fading away. "Someone's coming."

"What?" I spluttered. "No! Don't go yet! I want to talk to you....please."

I reached my arms out to try and grasp the remnants of her light, but she was already gone. I heard footsteps crunch in the leaves, and turned towards the noise in fright.

"Relax, it's me," the man with the British accent assured.