I had been thinking about the text message from Augustine for the past couple days, but I couldn't figure out what it meant. Who was the body that they had so clearly obscured?

It couldn't possibly be one of my friends that they were holding captive, right? I mean, I would notice if one of them was missing.

"Hello?" I heard Katherine's tired voice say as she finally answered her phone.

"Thank god you finally answered!" I let out a breath of relief. "I thought that you were the one they were holding hostage!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" she snapped. "I've been busy compelling an entire town to forget they saw me."

"Augustine is back with the threats," I sighed. "And this time they have somebody we know in their clutches. Now whether that person is on their side, or one of us, I still haven't figured out yet."

"You need to be careful Kaitlyn," she said sternly. "I don't care if it's one of your friends that are stuck there. Screw them, just make sure you survive."

"That would be good advice, except, I actually care about my friends and want to keep a healthy relationship with them," I laughed bitterly. "But anyways, I'm glad you're okay."

∆ ∆ ∆

"There's a murderer on the loose?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's nothing out of the ordinary."

"Yeah, but the Sheriff found Elena's fingerprints on the murder weapon," Damon explained. "We all think it's Meredith that's killing people though."

"Alaric's new girlfriend?" I questioned dubiously.

"Yeah, for all we know she could be the latest psycho in this town. Anyways, are you gonna come with me and Stefan?"

"Where?"

"Have you not been listening to anything I was saying before?" Damon groaned.

"No, I actually haven't been listening," I said truthfully. "My mind's a little distracted at the moment. Sorry, what were you talking about before?"

"Klaus and Elijah are inviting us over for a friendly dinner chat."

"Elijah's undaggered?" my heart leaped in joy. "Why doesn't anyone tell me anything! Honestly, I feel like I only know a quarter of all the tea being spilled around here."

"Why are you asking me to come? Why not Elena or Bonnie?" I asked suspiciously.

"Because it turns out that both of the Mikaelson men like your company," Damon sighed. "I know, it's a mystery why."

"Rude. But okay, I'll come."

"That was a quick decision. Maybe because you're excited to see your boyfriend again?" Damon smirked suggestively.

"Klaus is not even relatively close to being my boyfriend. We have nothing going on," I scoffed.

"Hmmm. And how did you know I was talking about him?"

"Just be quiet Damon."

∆ ∆ ∆

I finally decided to wear a simple black dress to the dinner, assuming that it wouldn't be too fancy. And knowing Klaus and Elijah, it definitely would not be casual either. I also made sure to relax a bit before I went over there, knowing that the tension would be so high in that room, that you could literally cut it with a knife.

"Welcome," Elijah greeted politely, and I smiled brightly at him, surprising him a bit when I walked closer to hug him. "Oh, erm, I'm happy to see you too Kaitlyn."

"I'm so glad that Klaus got over his pettiness and undaggered you," I said happily. "What an idiot, am I right?"

"Kate.." Damon murmured under his breath. "Maybe you shouldn't say things that could result in Klaus accidentally killing you."

As if on cue, the hybrid pranced into the room, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Fancy seeing you here love. Though I must say I'm quite pleased."

"Never mind. He's whipped," Damon whispered, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Let's just go eat," I said quickly. "I'm starving."

We took our according seats around a fancy table in the expensive looking dining room. Klaus waved over 4 to 5 girls who were carrying drinks and other supplements. They were clearly compelled, and from what I could see, they had bite marks on their necks.

I scoffed in disgust.

"Now now Angel, don't look at me with that judging expression. Let's not forget all the people you controlled on your little vacation with me and Stefan," Klaus said loftily, and Elijah cleared his throat to silence his brother.

"Niklaus, please."

"Well at least I don't do that anymore!" I fired back. "And also, I was kind of brainwashed then. This is the real you."

"Well, you didn't seem to mind the real me a few nights ago when you–"

"NIKLAUS! KAITLYN! PLEASE!" Elijah shouted in exasperation. "Settle down!"

"What the hell is happening?" Stefan's eyebrows creased, a regular expression for him.

"Kaitlyn and Klaus sittin' in a tree..." Damon tittered in the corner, immediately sating quiet when Klaus and I glared at him.

"Stefan! Where is the lovely Elena tonight," Elijah asked in a rush, trying to switch the subject.

"I don't know. Ask Damon," Stefan muttered darkly, and Klaus stifled a small laugh.

"I'm sorry, you missed so much," Klaus gossiped. "Trouble in paradise."

"One more word about Elena, and this dinner is over," Stefan warned through clenched teeth.

Meanwhile I had just started eating the food that was getting piled on my plate. No point bickering with the rest of them when I could eat. I was so freaking hungry. I even took some big gulps of the wine.

Listen, when you're at a rich person's house, take advantage of all the fancy stuff they have. Great advice.

Soon I zoned back into the conversation at hand.

"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line," Klaus was saying while Elijah looked resistant.

"Well, we're not going anywhere Elijah, please do tell," Damon said politely.

" When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus."

I choked on my wine.

"I'm sorry, why are we listening to a tragic-ending love story about the murderous hybrid?" I raised an eyebrow. "There are more important things at hand right now."

"Jealous?" Damon asked, smothering it with a bunch of odd-placed coughs.

"Shut up Damon," I rolled my eyes, a phrase which I had been saying way too often these past few days.

"Well," Klaus raised his voice. "I'd say there was one who loved her atleast as much."

"Wait a minute. So you both loved the same girl?" Stefan questioned.

"Wow, doesn't this sound familiar!" I gasped dramatically.

"Our mother was a very powerful witch. She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell which turned us into vampires. Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I...grew estranged. Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?" Elijah smiled fondly.

"But in the end we realised the sacred bond of family," Klaus smiled back, raising his glass.

Aww, this was almost sweet.

Stop. It was most definitely not!

After we had all toasted, Elijah went back to business. "So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?"

"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges," Damon smirked.

I ignored the muddling feeling in my stomach. For some reason I wasn't ready for the Mikaelson's to leave Mystic Falls yet.

For some reason? Please, isn't it tiring to pretend being so stupid? My inner voice whispered, and I sighed.

"The deal sounds fair, brother," Elijah nodded at Klaus, who looked peeved.

"I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind," Klaus said threateningly, getting up and starting to pace. "Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you."

Honestly, it was nothing but facts. But while Klaus thought that the Salvatore brothers were the worst thing for Elena, I thought it was the other way around. Elena was quite effectively ripping the two brothers apart from each other with her little mind games, intentional or not.

"I'm gonna get some air," Damon said weakly, getting up and leaving while Stefan remained glum.

"Let me deal with this," Elijah said quickly, and rushed out of the room.

I sent a questioning glance at his exit, wondering why both of the men were so quick to leave, and together. Were they planning something?

"I can't deal with this," Stefan huffed. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Wait, do vampires actually have to go the bathroom?" I spoke up curiously.

"Not the time Kaitlyn," he growled before stalking away, leaving only me and Klaus behind.

"Well, I'm going to leave as well," I said quickly, but Klaus whooshed in front of the exit.

"Don't you leave me as well love," he pouted. "Not after the great chemistry I can feel between the two of us."

"Please!" I scoffed. "Step aside hybrid, before I make you."

"I would like to see you try," he smirked.

I smirked back, walking straight up to him until our chests were flush against each other. He looked taken aback, and then release a cry of shock as I brought my knee up between his legs. This effectively distracted him enough for me to push him aside.

"Not so fast," he panted, leaping forward and grabbing my arm, pulling me roughly back into him. "Let's have a chat."

"About what?" I said in an exasperated tone.

"About why you're being so confusing," he let go of me and crossed his arms stubbornly. "I honestly can't figure you out. Whether you like me or not? Whether you want to kiss again or not? Whether anything even meant to you or not?"

"Klaus, I...."

"No, let me finish," he said firmly. "I fancy you Kaitlyn, quite a lot, but I need to know how you feel about me. And before you shake your head, don't think about the things I have done to others, but merely about what you think about me."

"I..."

I was abruptly cut off my Damon and Elijah entering the room again with a flourish. The polished Mikaelson was holding a tray and had an almost smug look on his face. Klaus turns around is confusion, but his face quickly turns to a look of horror when Elijah opens the lid.

There were two daggers laying on the metallic surface.

"What have you done?" Klaus gasped.

"What have you done? You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now," Elijah explained with authority, while Damon looked all-knowing the background, obviously complicit in this act.

"Let's go Kaitlyn, Stefan," Damon announced, and he forcefully whooshed the both of out of here just as I heard someone else speak, but I was now too far away to hear.

"What the hell just happened?" Stefan demanded.

"Elijah just brought his other siblings out to play," Damon said deviously, and my eyes widened.

"All of them?"

"Yup. Don't know anything about them, but I sure as hell know the they hate Klaus."

I was about to argue further, but all of a sudden a blinding pain erupted in my head, and I clutched my temples in a shout, my knees giving out as I fell to the floor.

Hello Sister.

A tear squeezed out of one of my eyes as the pain increased.

Painful, isn't it? This is probably the first telepathic conversation you had, and it's bound to hurt.

"Kaitlyn! Kaitlyn!"

I heard frantic shouts, but they seemed to be coming far away as my vision grew hazier.

"L-Liam?" I stuttered in shock.

Did you really think you had defeated me?

A mirthless laugh.

You better watch yourself sister, I'm coming to kill you.

And with that, the voice ended, as did the pain. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and my body fell sideways, on the ground as everything went dark.

∆ ∆ ∆