Charlotte and Katherine sat together at the table near the door in silence. Charlotte was a little too overwhelmed by the events of her first day back alive to say anything, her mind racing with everything that had happened and everything that might still. Katherine fiddled anxiously, wracked with outward boredom and inward terror.

Klaus had left them soon after compelling Charlotte and since then they'd been alone. Shortly after he left she tried to leave, a foolish amount of hope in her heart that the compulsion hadn't taken and she'd be free.

It hadn't worked of course, she knew really that it wouldn't, but she couldn't exactly not try.

Her heart had thundered desperately in her chest as she'd pulled the door open, a glimmer of hope filling her. One that shattered instantly when her foot refused to pass the doorstep, an invisible wall barricading her in. Katherine watched on with sympathy, having tried the very same thing the first time she was alone too.

So here they sat, Katherine leaning on the back of the chair head on her hands, Charlotte with her legs tucked to her chest and her arms around herself. They didn't speak a word nor shift from their places, not until the door slammed open suddenly, loudly, and their heads shot to it to watch Klaus storm into the room, bristling with anger.

"Where's Maddox" he snapped, "he should be back by now."

"I don't know," Katherine answered, "What are you doing?"

As Katherine pried for information, Charlotte shifted forwards, feet falling to the ground. She too wanted to know the fate of Elena and subconsciously she leaned closer in hopes it might help her learn more.

Klaus hardly acknowledged the, pulling a computer out and looking at a video on the screen, from which they could hear a woman screaming in the distance. He didn't notice the way the fear flashed momentarily across Katherines face, not the scrunch of distaste and concern that flew to Charlottes.

"Where is Elena?"

"I sent her off with Greta. It's almost time."

Charlotte didn't know who Greta was, but by the fact that she stood with Klaus, and at the way Katherines expression shifted, she knew it wasn't good for Elena. Charlotte wanted to know more, but she didn't have the gall to ask, still afraid of Klaus and what he might do.

For the second time, the door swung dramatically open, the perpetrator this time even more surprising than the last. Charlottes hand flew to Katherine's, desperately seeking the willpower to hold her from leaping towards their visitor.

Klaus, by comparison, hardly reacted, waiting a beat before leaning back in his chair, and then another two before he spoke, his eyes still trained on the screen as though he couldn't care to even look.

"I wasn't aware you'd been invited in."

Damon Salvatore bristled in the doorway, his ever-present cockiness coming to play as he grinned, stepping closer, "I've come here to tell you to postpone the ritual."

"Didn't we already have this conversation."

"Yeah, but that was before I rescued your werewolf and vampire, and killed your witch."

Klaus stood from his chair, an eyebrow raised and an annoyed scowl on his face, "Excuse me?"

"And you can kill me for it. Let my sister go and kill me. I don't care."

Klaus' eyes flicked to Charlotte for the first time since he'd compelled her, a grin pulling to his lips. He'd been trying to place her role in the Mystic Falls sphere and Damons admission gave him all the ammunition he needed.

"Ah, so you're a Salvatore, love. That does make things more interesting."

Charlotte couldn't contain herself anymore, the fear for her own safety that had kept her quiet earlier disappeared as her terror for her brother now bubbled over. Katherines hand had been holding hers, silently reminding her to hold herself back, to stay out of things but now she pulled herself free.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm fixing things," he called back to her, his eyes not wavering from Klaus', his ever-present grin steady, "It was all me."

"Charlotte love, Katerina, won't you give us a moment."

Even if Charlotte had wanted to ignore Klaus' directive she couldn't. Katherine had reached her quickly, her hand shooting out and grabbing Charlottes, tugging her away before she'd even realised what was happening. The door was shut firmly behind them before Charlotte could react, with the expression on Katherines face making it clear they were staying until Klaus said otherwise.

Katherine's alliance with Klaus was clearly less than voluntary, and so Charlotte didn't fight it, instead leaning down and pressing her ear to the gap of the door so she could still hear if not see.

Klaus spoke first, soft steps as he did telling her he was likely pacing, "I've heard about you. The crazy, impulsive vampire in love with his brother girl. I knew one of you would try to stop me. It was just a fifty- fifty guess on who."

There was silence and then Charlotte could hear the soft screams again that were from the video earlier and a chilling chuckle from Klaus, "The nice thing about werewolves is they tend to travel in packs. Need a closer look?"

"Jules."

"When you spend a thousand years trying to break a curse, you learn a thing or two. First rule, always have a backup. Backup werewolf, backup witch–"

"–Backup vampire."

"I've got that covered too."

Crack far louder than Charlotte would've expected rang out, a loud thud following that she knew, instinctively, was the sound of Damons body falling to the floor. Her hand reached for the door handle, tugging desperately against Katherines grip that held it closed waiting for instructions.

"Time to come out ladies," Klaus called, a coo to his voice that caused a shiver to flow down Charlottes spine, "Katerina, I've got a little task for you."

Katherines grip left the door and Charlotte yanked it open, her heart shattering at the sight of her brother, dead on the floor with his head at an unnatural angle. She rushed forwards, something between a whimper and a sob pushing itself from her throat as an arm wrapped around her waist and tugged her back before she could reach him.

"Katerina, you're going to make a phone call," Klaus said, his lips twitching into a smirk, as he tucked a strand of hair behind Charlottes ear she shuddered with disgust.

As Klaus explained his plan to Katherine, Charlotte tried unsuccessfully to pull herself from his grip. He wouldn't let her move an inch from him, even though all she wanted was to get to her brother he held her steadfast and still.

Katherine began to dial and Charlotte thought up a new plan, flying under the radar clearly wasn't working and so perhaps she could call for help. But just as she thought it, Klaus did too. He shifted her, pulling her from his side to his front, his arm across her stomach pulling her tight to his chest whilst his other arm wrapped around, covering her mouth.

"Don't mess this up darling," he whispered in her ear threateningly sweet, his warm breath on her neck causing the hairs to tickle, "I need a vampire and if this one won't work theres still another Salvatore available."

His words made her freeze before she slumped in defeat in his arms. She didn't know if Klaus was threatening her, or if he was threatening her brothers, but either way she didn't want to find out. There was nothing Charlotte could do at that moment but wait, her eyes falling to her brother, the anxiety coursing through her, thoughts pounding as loudly as her heart rang in her ears.

His head wasn't supposed to lie like that. It was wrong, so clearly wrong that all she could think about was diving forwards and fixing it.

He shouldn't have antagonised Klaus.

He should have listened.

When Jenna was finally lured into Klaus' trap, Katherine hung up the phone, tossing it to Klaus. His hand shooting out to catch the airborne phone shifted Charlotte from her fixation on her brother and her eyes shot up.

A moment later he released his grip on her and she wrenched herself away, practically diving towards her brother.

The first thing she did was straighten his neck, moving his head so it lay properly before pulling him gently to her lap. She sat with her legs sprawled out, hair falling around her face tickling his head. Stroking his hair gently she didn't look up as Klaus murmured something more to Katherine, nor as he shuffled around the room, gathering things before finally leaving the apartment.

The door clicked shut and Katherine sped to the fridge, grabbing a blood bag pushing it to Damons lips. Charlotte was glad Katherine knew what to do because even with all her time watching from the Other Side, she felt useless in this moment.

Nothing happened for a while. A long while where Charlotte's fingers shakily stroked through his hair and Katherine's sighs got more pointed. Finally it seemed she'd had enough, at the first sight of stirring she leapt into action, slapping his face twice and then grabbing his shoulders to shake him.

Hey Damon," she cooed, her voice loosing its sweetness a moment later when he still hadn't responded, "Damon."

His eyes opened, blearily, a squint at first that caused Charlotte to gasp louder than necessary. Katherine landed a comforting hand on Charlottes arm and she shot a small smile at her, relieved at least somewhat, that her brother was okay.

"What the hell happened?"

"He's gone," Katherine spoke up, more lucid during Klaus' time in the apartment and more aware of what had actually happened, "He went to do the ritual. I'm sorry, I had to. He would've known that I was on vervain if I didn't do it."

"Do what?"

"He needed another vampire," Charlotte said softly.

"Who did you call?" Damon snapped. Katherine turned her eyes away and he grabbed her arm, pushing himself from his sisters lap as he pulled Katherine closer to him, "Who did you call, Katherine?"

Charlottes voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke up for her friend, seeing the guilt clouding her eyes, "Jenna."

Damon's grip fell from Katherine, his eyes flicking between the two girls in shock and horror. He knew it was his fault just as they did. He'd come here hoping to force Klaus into a forfeit and instead he'd resigned someone else to the fate he'd tried to prevent.

"He could've used me," he murmured, "Why couldn't he use me?"

Charlotte's heart fell through her chest. Every happiness and piece of relief that had flooded her as her brother woke dissipated as the words Klaus had uttered as he left returned. She couldn't tell her brother what had happened, she couldn't tell him what was wrong and instead she screwed up her eyes, her arms wrapping tightly around her middle as she took a shaky breath.

Katherine answered for them both, her voice more callous than Charlotte expected, "Damon, he said you're as good as dead."

"What does that even mean?"

"What does it mean?"

Katherine reached out and pulled his sleeve back to show the werewolf bite on his arm. The bite had grown in size since Klaus was here, it was veiny and red and looked as though it was practically pulsing with anger. It certainly didn't look as though it was going away, it looked worse, much worse.

Damon fizzled, "So thats what a werewolf bite looks like."

"Yep."

"Its not that bad," Charlotte lied.

"Will be."

"So that's it?" Katherine asked, "You're just gonna die?"

"Well, that depends. You know anything about a cure?" Katherine shook her head and Damon continued resolutely, "Me either."

Damon pulled his jacket on, his hand reaching down to tug Charlotte to her feet beside him.

"145 years and no goodbye?" Katherine asked, a hint of genuine hurt in her tone.

"You don't get a goodbye, not after all you've done. Let's go Charlie."

Charlotte didn't have a chance to speak up before they were at the threshold. Damon stepped out, confidently moving until he turned in confusion, as Charlotte stayed stuck by the door. He wondered for a moment if this was a protest about his treatment towards Katherine until she spoke up, a resoluteness in her tone.

"He took my necklace D," she explained, "You and Stef have to find Elena and finish this. If Klaus dies, his compulsion will break, right? The compulsion will break and I can come home."

"Charlie we just got you back. I'm not leaving you here."

"You don't have a choice," she said, steading her breathing as she tugged her arm from his, "I'll be fine, finish this. Fix this. You need to get there before it's too late."

Damon seemed reluctant to leave her, every step away seemed to scream at him to go back but he knew she was right and he nodded stoically.

"I'll fix this."

Damon didn't hear her confidence as he sped away, the soft, I know you will, as she pushed the door closed on the empty hallway. He didn't see the crumpling of her face, nor hear the pounding of her terrified heart, nor know of the way Katherine reached out, grabbing her and pulling her into a hug so tight Charlotte hoped it might have the strength to keep her together.