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thememoriesofaqueen · 2 years

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In Another Life - Part 10

Masterlist (x)

A/N: [Chapter updated in August 2022] Hello :) I hope you have a great summer (or winter, depending on where you are). I know it's been a while since the last update but I hope this chapter kinda makes it up to you for the long wait. As always I want to thank you for your continuous support and feedback. It means a lot to me <3 I hope you enjoy it and please make sure to leave feedback <3 Edit September 2022: Repost cause it didn’t show up in the tags.

English is not my first language

→ I do not own anything of the TVD - Universe and I’m not affiliated or associated with the writers etc. This is only a headcanon/fanfiction.

Pairing: Kalijah ( Katherine / Elijah )

TW: drunkness, blood

Word Count: 9.691

Please read also: AO3 and FFnet

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The conversation with Eleanor was quite revealing. Maisie Williams is 20 years old and was born in Boston. She studied business administration in Boston and recently moved to Columbia, although the reasons for her move seem mysterious to him. Eleanor said that she had quarreled with her parents and wanted to be near her grandmother, who seemed to finance her studies in part.

Admittedly, these facts did not really excite Elijah. His conversation with Eleanor raised no doubt that the person of Maisie actually existed.

But if Maisie Williams actually existed, how could she look like Katerina? Eleanor had without hesitation identified the image of Katerina as Maisie.

Could it be that there was another doppelganger?

This question occupied Elijah secretly while he listened to Eleanor and maintained his facade of an insurance agent.

Actually, the existence of another doppelganger should be impossible, especially if it is a doppelganger who is human and had about the same age as Elena Gilbert.

Elijah put down his empty teacup and put on a friendly smile.

"Thank you for the insights and the information, Mrs. Williams, you have really helped me a lot. I will get the missing documents as soon as possible."

He stood up and let Eleanor accompany him to the door without arousing any suspicion. However, before he said goodbye and left, he turned to the elderly lady again, his gaze resting on hers.

"There is one more thing." His voice is still friendly and neutral, not giving away what he’s about to be requesting. "I want you to cackle like a chicken," he calmly told her while his pupils widened as he made an attempt to compel her. If this Maisie is actually Maisie, no one should have knowledge of both vampires or vervain, so Eleanor had no choice but to do what he said.

The elderly lady seemed to be confused for a moment before she actually started clucking.

"Thank you, that’s enough. It occurred to me that I still need some information."

With these words, he entered the house again and told Eleanor to follow him.

"I want you to answer all my questions truthfully," he compelled her as he stopped in the living room area and Eleanor sat down.

"Do you know a person named Katerina Petrova or Katherine Pierce?" he asked while he was looking at the pictures in the room, especially the baby photos that attracted his attention.

"No, I’ve never heard those names."

He narrowed his eyes slightly when he heard Eleanor’s answer and tried to discover any similarities with Katerina in the baby photos. Some features did not change too much over the years hence his interest.

"When was the last time you saw Maisie?"

"The weekend before last."

"Does Maisie come to visit you often?"

"Yes, she comes often and stays with me all weekend."

In his opinion, the baby photos had no similarities with Katerina, which is why they did not seem to be useful to him.

"Where does she live if she’s not with you?"

"She lives in a dorm on the campus of the University in Columbia." Well, at least that was insightful information he could use. Maybe his doubts will vanish when he visits this Maisie Williams.

"Do you remember when Maisie moved to Columbia?"

"Yes, that was quite surprising. I didn’t know she had a falling out with her parents and wanted to continue her studies at Columbia. It was a few months ago."

This information came as a surprise, and he raised an eyebrow because the time frame might fit. Maybe Maisie isn’t as real as she seems. Even if he really wonders how Katerina could have managed to create and maintain such a deception. After all, she could no longer use compulsion.

"Where does she sleep when she’s here?"

"Oh, Maisie has her own room. They used to stay here often when she was little. Unfortunately, my daughter had to go to Boston because of a new job, which is why the visits have decreased and eventually stopped altogether."

That was another thing that’s quite interesting. If Maisie really slept at her grandmother’s so often, then she had to have personal belongings here. Personal stuff he might be able to match with things that belong to Katerina. He is aware that Katerina usually did not surround herself with many things. The possibility of escape is still very strongly anchored in her head and it's easier to flee without a trace if there's nothing that could lead to her or tell someone that it had been her who has lived there.

"Can you show me her room, please?" he requested kindly, although Eleanor was still under his compulsion. And as was to be expected, Eleanor could not refuse his plea and led him up the stairs to show him the room of her granddaughter.

"Please don't be surprised, Mr. Smith. As I have already mentioned, the visits have eventually decreased and stopped in the past few years and I hadn't had the time to start renovating. Maisie says she doesn't mind but I know it's no longer fitting for her age."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Williams. Could you please leave me alone and wait for me downstairs?"

"Of course, Mr. Smith," a gentle nod followed her words before she turned around and found her way back downstairs. He waited for a moment until he could hear her working in the kitchen before he carefully opened the door to Maisie's room.

Despite Eleanor’s 'warning', he was admittedly surprised when he stepped into the room because this room really did not fit a twenty-year-old woman.

The walls were painted in a pastel pink tone and all furniture was white. A large, white canopy was stretched over the bed and as far as he could see, even delicate chains of lights were integrated into it.

Books and horse figures were on the shelves, and he could also discover a snow globe. The whole room did not seem to correspond to his Katerina, because it was very girlish. In a way, the time has actually stopped here, which only confirmed the existence of this Maisie Williams - much to his displeasure.

He walked through the room, careful not to step on the fluffy white little carpets, looking for any clue. At first glance, however, he could not see anything noticeable.

He finally examined the wardrobe and opened a door. Elijah was well aware that it was an invasion of another person’s privacy, but he needed certainty. In contrast to the very detailed bedroom, however, the contents of this closet were rather sparse but at least corresponded to the clothing style and nature of an adult woman.

The few garments had been neatly folded and placed in the closet. They were neutral colors, both dark, and light. Without wasting another thought, Elijah reached for the first top in his field of vision and examined it. It was a black top. A style that he knew Katerina liked to wear and even though it was not unusual for an adult woman, he wondered if Maisie wasn’t Katerina after all. Perhaps he really lost himself in wishful thinking and a sigh left his lips as he put the top back in the closet.

He didn’t seem to be able to find any definite clues which did frustrate him because he had believed - or at least hoped - that he'd finally have certainly about Katerina's whereabouts.

With one last glance into the room, Elijah left Maisie's bedroom and went downstairs to go and find Eleanor.

There were not many open questions left, at least none that could give him the necessary answers. Somehow, his quest always seemed to end in dead ends.

"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Williams, but allow me a few last questions so I can process your application for health insurance." Of course, he was intent on maintaining his role, even though he had already decided to let Eleanor forget this encounter.

"Did you have the impression that Maisie was sick when she came to visit you unexpectedly?"

Eleanor frowned as she thought about the question.

"She did have a little cold when she arrived, nothing that you can’t handle with a good soup and enough tea. She also mentioned that she had been under a lot of stress lately, precisely because of the quarrel with her parents."

Unfortunately, this was again not a clear indication of Katerina, because in the case that Katerina had visited Eleanor immediately after her escape from the hospital, she should have been in a much worse state of health. It would not have been a 'little cold'.

Even if Katerina had managed to cover up her illnesses and weaknesses at the first moment, it should not have been possible to maintain this facade longer. The hospital report left no doubt that her state of health required more intensive treatment. Under no circumstances would a soup have been sufficient.

On the other hand, Elijah was also aware that she had stolen medication from the hospital that might have alleviated her symptoms.

This topic will therefore need further clarification.

For now, however, he should focus on the next step. Even though he had not expected to be confronted with a mysterious person, he had to involve this Maisie in his planning and meet her. He would preferably have to watch her first before meeting her.

Even if he very much wished to have Katerina with him again, he did not want to stand in her way. It is hard for him to believe that Katerina, if she were actually Maisie, would find fulfillment in a life as a student, but if she had, he would not want to hinder her. She deserved to finally lead a normal life without having to fear being threatened or killed in the next moment.

Nonetheless, he had to admit that he was selfish because even if this scenario happens to turn out as true, he wanted to see her, even if it was just from afar.

"Is she still studying business administration?" Elijah finally asked, assuming the university was big so he could at least make limits for his search.

"As far as I know, yes, but she also told me about additional courses she took. Maisie is a young woman who is very interested in many different things."

He wrote down this information mentally before nodding.

"Thank you, Mrs. Williams. I will make sure that your insurance request is processed as soon as possible, and I wish you a good day."

He said goodbye with a polite smile, compelled her to forget about their encounter, and left the house – this time for real. Although he had no knowledge of insurance, he would ensure that Maisie got the necessary health insurance, even if she was not Katerina. A small thank you from his side because at least his search has now been narrowed down a bit.

...

"Do you really think you will find this one person at the university? As far as I know, there are over 30,000 people enrolled there", George seemed to have honest concerns about the success of his search. Elijah, however, was not discouraged.

"I’ve spent years searching for Katherine or at least learning her approximate location. I’ve been spending weeks, even months trying to find her now. 30,000 students will certainly not stop me from reaching my goal. Even if I have to look at each of them individually," Elijah replied objectively before laying a map of the university on the table. Fortunately, the Internet offered an astonishing amount of information, so it was not necessary for him to be on-site for the time being.

He thinks it makes more sense to first make a good plan before putting it into practice. However, he was also aware that not everyone acted as he or considered his approach appropriate. Fortunately, this was not a family meeting.

"Here we have the housing units of the university," he pointed to several buildings on the map. Most of the housing units were located on the eastern side of the campus. "In the west, we have housing units that are grouped in a so-called 'Village'. I doubt, however, that Katherine lives here, as far as I could find out it requires membership in a fraternity or sororities on campus." He could not imagine that Katerina would join a sorority, but he could not exclude it with certainty.

"We know that Maisie lives in a student flat on campus, which is why we just have to ask the university administration." That would be his first approach. "The business school is here," Elijah explained, pointing to a building west of the university’s residential units. It is located just north of a Coliseum. "Unfortunately, we don’t know which additional courses Maisie takes, but I think she should be there most of the time. At least if she takes her studies seriously." Although Elijah couldn’t say that for sure either. Especially because he couldn’t imagine that Katherine would revive in her role as a student. "There is also a cafeteria in the same building, and other dining options are near the parks in the east." Elijah pointed again to several places on the map.

"Is that a Starbucks in a library?" asked George, which made Elijah blink in surprise.

"In my opinion, a cafeteria has nothing to do near a library."

"Starbucks is not a cafeteria, Sir, it is an international retail company specializing in coffee products."

"Should that be common knowledge, George?" He couldn’t remember ever hearing from Starbucks. However, he also didn’t really drink coffee.

"Starbucks is the company that asks you for your name to write on the coffee cups, but always misspells those names. You can put together any kind of coffee-like drinks and as far as I know, they are also a popular photo motif." George looked at him almost expectantly, as if his description helped him to find enlightenment. Elijah, however, raised only one eyebrow.

"I can’t remember hearing about it. Apart from that, I still find it inappropriate to offer hot drinks in a library."

The whole concept sounded very questionable to him. However, this was really not an important topic, even if he should probably keep the popularity of this company in mind.

"In any case, to return to the main topic, it is necessary that a few people take a position at this university and keep their eyes open. You know what Katherine looks like. Should she or Maisie be spotted, she is to be inconspicuously observed and immediately reported to me." Elijah took a pen and circled the areas around the living areas, the business school, and the park with numerous food options.

"I assume she’s probably somewhere around here. I don’t want any vampires at the university grounds, so if you encounter a vampire, he is to be killed – inconspicuously." Elijah will definitely not take any risks. "Do you have any information about where my brother is right now?"

"He’s still in New Orleans, Sir, so far it has not been established that he left the city."

"Good, the last thing I need right now is Niklaus to be here somewhere." Another concern, of course, that he always had to keep in mind, because he is aware that his brother would sooner or later try to get him back to New Orleans. If Niklaus found out that all this was related to Katerina, it would be very dangerous for her. "I’ll check the administration for a Maisie Williams." With these words, Elijah locked the pen and memorized the card exactly before he left it to George. His people needed reference points so they could coordinate better. "I want five people sent to the university immediately, and they should leave tonight at the latest."

"Got it, sir."

▬ University/Columbia, South Carolina, Three days later ▬

As expected, the campus area was huge. It was like its own small town in the middle of a big city. People were everywhere when Elijah got out of his car and it was almost fortunate that he had found a parking space at all. Especially considering the fact that it seemed like they were preparing some kind of event. Despite it being only noon, there was a fair amount of people wearing sparkly dresses as if they planned to go to a party. Some buildings even had balloons attached to their main entrances. He remembered reading in the newspaper a few days (or was it already weeks) ago that there was an event planned at the university but he had only flown over the headline and didn't bother with the content since he hadn't been interested in university stuff at that time.

Maybe he should have.

It is far from the first time he has been on a university campus. No, on the contrary, Elijah appreciated the contents of the university libraries very much, although his interest was more in the elite universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, or Yale. Nevertheless, it was the first time that he searched for someone in the midst of these masses without knowing exactly where this person was.

Of course, he could have hired one of his people to collect data on Maisie Williams. However, he preferred that no private or personal data be read by others. This was also the reason why Elijah would look at her file to find out who this ‘Maisie Williams’ really was. Although he trusted his minions in principle, Elijah preferred to act with foresight, especially with regard to Niklaus. Compulsion is something no vampire could elude forever, even if they were on vervain, and his family certainly had the necessary skills to get all the information they desired out of people.

If Niklaus found out about Katerina or even about the possibility of an unknown doppelgänger, then the whole mission would be in danger hence why Elijah preferred to be the only one to know about such valuable information. At least he hoped that Maisie's file would contain some valuable information. It would be a small disaster if there was no further information about Maisie.

Luckily - even if this information admittedly made him a bit nervous - Savannah believed that she had already spotted 'Maisie Williams' after two days of posting. This was faster than expected, as more than 30,000 people studied on this campus. Of course, his henchmen knew who to look for and what this person looked like visually. However, Elijah did not expect such quick results, it was a lucky strike.

Knowing that Katerina could be here on campus, that his search had finally come to an end, made him almost euphoric. Of course, the worries and nervousness remained, but by and large, he was very optimistic at the moment.

According to Savannah’s information, Maisie’s/Katerina’s current location was on a south-facing terrace that belonged to a canteen. This was not surprising, as it was already after 12 o'clock and thus his arrival fell at noon.

However, the closer he got to the location named by Savannah, the more nervous he became.

Was he nervous because he was afraid that this person turned out to be neither Maisie nor Katerina?

Was he nervous that the found person was the real Maisie?

Was he nervous about how Katerina would react?

He just didn’t know. He paused and smoothed his jacket and straightened his already impeccably fitting cufflinks before taking a deep breath. He’s overthinking again and that’s something that wasn’t good at all. It made him restless. Anxious. He needs to keep a cool head so he consciously inhaled and exhaled again to calm down before he proceeded. He shouldn’t make such a fuss. It’s completely unlike him.

After the terrace came into sight, he stopped. He had no interest in confronting Maisie/Katerina right now, although it was difficult to reconcile with his impatience. By no means did he just want to burst into her life. He had already decided long ago that he would first observe the situation before deciding to take further steps. By no means did he want his arrival to aggravate her current situation. Several weeks had already passed since her hospitalization, so he hoped that her health had improved and that she wasn’t in imminent danger which required immediate intervention. Apart from that, he could not predict with certainty how she dealt with this new human life.

Of course, he assumed, simply because he knew her, that she did not like this human life. It didn’t happen often, but Katerina was the epitome of a person made for vampirism. He would be very surprised if she had taken a liking to a human life.

However, if, contrary to expectations, she actually enjoyed human existence, he would stay away. He would not interfere with her life or her life choices. If she found happiness in whatever role she currently chose to play, in whatever she was currently doing, he would not interfere. He would make sure she finally had a peaceful life as it should have always been. A life without supernatural beings – even if that decision of staying away would hurt him.

What more could you want than to see the person you loved happy and content?

Elijah breathed deeply before his attentive eyes crossed the numerous seats and tables. The cafeteria was well attended at this time, numerous guests had gathered on the terrace to enjoy not only lunch but also the midday sun.

Despite his extraordinary sense of hearing, he was not able to filter out a certain voice. There were too many different sounds and voices that mixed and mingled together, making it impossible to separate one voice from another. At least his good sense of sight allowed him to make the necessary observations from a great distance.

A group of blondes sat at one table, a young man at another. At one table, people sat together discussing something, on another table were people who had to belong to the sports students according to their clothing, while yet at another table apparently different types of ice cream were compared.

Numerous people and yet he only wanted to find one person.

His gaze continued to wander through the ever-moving crowd. While some people seemed to have finished their meal, others arrived.

Then, however, his gaze caught on a high, wavy braid and his breath hitched in his throat.

Even if the hairstyle was unusual, it could not fool him over the fact that he had finally found the person he was looking for for months.

The oval face with the fine bone structure, the wealth of brown curly hair, and the almond-shaped, deep brown eyes with thick dark lashes undoubtedly belonged to Katerina (or the person he hoped to be Katerina).

Unconsciously, he walked two steps in her direction before abruptly slowing down, remembering his vow of not getting involved in her life before he didn't make sure that a) this was indeed Katerina, b) she was looking for a way to reconnect with her previous supernatural life, and c) that she needed (his) help.

He could not allow his exuberant joy of having finally found her to break through his plans now.

Right now, much to his great ease, she looked healthy, although different. The ponytail was uncommon for her as was her choice of clothes that he'd describe as too light for her usual taste. It made him almost uncertain if this was indeed Katerina and not some other doppelgänger although he wanted to believe that Maisie was not another one of them. An empty plate stood in front of her, which meant that she had already finished her meal, and she was surrounded by different people. They seemed to not be complete strangers, at least judging by their mimics and gestures. He would even say, based purely on his observations, that she was socially integrated into this group.

To his great displeasure, one of her interlocutors stood up - a young tall man with black hair - and put an arm around her shoulders for quite some time and kissed her on the cheek, whereupon she laughed and seemed to say goodbye.

Elijah wanted to say that he was not a jealous man and above such feelings. Nevertheless, he could not deny that this sight - despite the distance - gave him a sting. That there was a feeling deep inside of him that envied this man.

He knew that he had no right to develop any feelings like jealousy when it comes to Katerina. Still, this subliminal feeling was there and he couldn’t help but detest this puny creature, even if he couldn’t even say for sure in what kind of relationship they were or how they were connected.

He breathed deeply again and tried to suppress this painful feeling. His feelings stood in the background in this situation, all that should count -what it did- was that Katerina was well. If this person was, of course, Katerina.

This was for him to find out.

Not that he wanted to do it right now. No, it was especially difficult for him to turn on his heels and leave Katerina behind. Although his concern was unfounded, he was afraid of losing sight of her. He was afraid of losing her again even though he had people monitoring her.

He, therefore, remained to stay there undecided, his eyes fixed on Katerina all the time, and leaving now seemed to him a mistake. He could observe that Katerina - or just Maisie - was laughing and seemed to be having fun. In contrast to the people who had already crossed his path, no one was festively dressed at this table. It seemed as if they were not attending the event, even though it seemed so big.

Of course, he wondered why, and of course, he was annoyed that he had not studied the article in the paper. Once again, he realized that little things were crucial.

The group at this table stood up together, the tablets with the empty plates in their hands, apparently the lunch break was over. His eyes narrowed as he considered postponing the search in the personnel archives and instead following Katerina/Maisie to find out more. But that would not be expedient, after all, he had thought about a certain approach for good reason. Moreover, and he saw this concern as very justified at the moment, he would be too tempted to contact her, try to talk to her. An act he wanted to keep his distance from, at least for the moment.

He, therefore, decided with a heavy heart (and very reluctantly) to give Savannah the instruction to keep an eye on Katerina/ Maisie and to follow her. One task he wanted to take on himself, but hiring Savannah was the better solution, at least for now.

It was only after Savannah had confirmed her new task to him that he was able to continue his way to the administration building. Though his thoughts were always with Katerina and he wondered if he could focus on his future task at all.

...

It was already late and dark when Elijah left the administration building. A glance at his watch revealed that it was already past midnight. He had not been aware that so much time had already passed. A fact that was not new to him, as it actually happened quite often when he was immersed in files or books.

Cool spring air received him as he stood on the landing in front of the main entrance. The event that he had first noticed when he had arrived, seemed to be in full swing, but it looked as if the official event had turned into a party already. The young people, who occasionally roamed around in this particular area, laughed and talked while they either headed towards the music or seemed to be already on their way home - most likely to party somewhere else privately.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Katerina again and wondered if she was part of the festivities. Whether she was with that dark-haired man.

But he quickly suppressed these thoughts.

He should better concentrate and think about other things, although it was admittedly difficult. Despite the fact that he was used to reading many things that might seem boring or even soporific to others, he felt somehow drained. In his defense, it has to be added that it made a difference, of course, whether he read in his study in good light and with possibly quiet background music, or in a basement without windows in bright and unnatural light. It had admittedly tired his eyes. To make matters worse, there seemed to be several departments in the archive whose sorting had not seemed conclusive to him at first glance. It had therefore already taken some time to find the right places for his research.

His head was throbbing, but he could not say clearly whether this fact was due to his stay in the cellar, or to the results. Whatever it was, he desperately needed rest and relaxation because unfortunately, the cool air didn't help.

Elijah let his gaze linger over the otherwise peaceful landscape before he finally started to move past the large water basin with a fountain, which was switched off at night, towards the parking lot. He noticed that some astonishing glances were directed at him, but this was probably due to his clothing - very few people wore formal suits during that time of the day (or rather night). The wardrobe of the evening seemed to be a casual, and sometimes a very scarce style of clothing.

To get to the parking lot where his Porsche was waiting for him, Elijah had to cross a smaller park. Although small was perhaps not the right expression, because one would approx. need 5 minutes with fast steps to cross it. In this park, there were also some young, mostly already drunk people, who were staggering around in small groups.

Elijah once stopped to make way for one of these groups, as he did not want to risk being bumped into. In addition, in such a state, there was also a risk that people spontaneously vomited, and he really did not want to experience this tonight. He preferred to stay away from these people and the issues they brought. And with his current headache, it really was better to not provoke him in any form.

In the middle of the park stood a stone fountain whose water he surprisingly could still hear splashing. Unlike the fountain in front of the administration building, this fountain did not seem to be turned off at night. He stopped briefly to look at the fountain from a distance, as the path to the parking lot branched off to the left so that he would not reach the fountain if he continued his path as planned.

The fountain was estimated to have a diameter of five meters, which was not very large. Unlike the fountain in front of the administration building, the basin of this fountain was elevated and surrounded by a wall. Around the fountain stood street lamps at regular intervals, which, like the paths, enveloped the fountain in subdued light.

On a bench opposite the fountain, he could recognize two people who, however, just got up and left the square. Elijah was about to turn away to finally continue his way to the parking lot when a subtle sparkle in the dark caught his attention. The faint light seemed to be reflected in glittering sequins, which seemed to belong to a dress. He didn’t know why but somehow he found himself immobilized as if he was drawn to that subtle sparkle.

At first, he could only see outlines of the person, because the light of the street lights did not reach her yet. This person seemed to want to avoid using the paved paths at all costs, which he could not really explain. He thought it unwise to walk over the park floor, which would be very uneven, especially in the area of old trees, due to protruding roots. But the closer she can get to the well, the clearer became the slender person who seemed to have captivated him without her even realizing.

His eyes barely widened as he saw the familiar long brown curls surrounding her face openly, and his breath hitched in his throat.

It was her.

Katerina!

Or at least the person he thought was Katerina. Unfortunately, his research was still unclear as there was no doubt that Maisie existed. Besides, he wasn’t sure if his tired eyes weren’t deceiving him. Perhaps he was making up a connection that wasn’t really there. Though that would be rather shameful to have such a desperate reaction.

Like last time, he had to control himself not to rush to her. She did not seem to see him as he was far too far away and the light was too dim. He, on the other hand, could see her very clearly, even though he soon began to frown as he watched her.

It couldn’t be overlooked that she wavered in her walk. She was alone and seemed to have the well as her target, often dangerously close to falling, and he had pressed one hand - for whatever reason - to her side.

He knew he should stay away until her identity was clear, and he knew he shouldn’t interfere like he had vowed although he started to worry about her wellbeing. Drunk or tipsy people shouldn't be alone in the dark, they should not walk over uneven ground without being really able to see anything, and certainly not in such high shoes as she is wearing without a doubt.

He bit down on his tongue as he seriously considered offering her his help to at least get her home safely but that would mean revealing his presence and he didn't know if she nor he was ready for that.

Then, however, she twisted her ankle and fell.

Although he knew better and had sworn not to reveal his presence, he could not help but rush to her within a fraction of a second and catch her from behind, and prevented her from hitting the ground. He did it before he could even really think about it, all he knew was that he just couldn’t watch her hurt herself.

He was, in a way, shocked by himself about his ill-considered action, without even realizing what he was doing.

That, and the fact that she immediately reacted defensively.

"Let go of me! Hands off!" she demanded furiously, whereas she slurred a little, trying to wriggle out of his grip. Her loud, accelerated heartbeat pounded in his ears, indicating that she was indeed scared, and before he could even react, she repeated her demand before the back of her head unexpectedly collided with his nose.

Elijah staggered back and could hear his nose crack. For a brief moment, a dazzling pain ran through his skull before his body recovered itself within the next three seconds. It had, however, intensified his already existing headache. Fortunately, his nose had not started to bleed, even though the sudden and unexpected attack had actually caused him to let her go.

"It’s good to see that you remained forceful," he muttered more to himself, still slightly befuddled while Katerina - or the person he thought was Katerina - had moved backward away from him.

Elijah wiped his face with one hand, mainly to make sure that really no blood had actually flown before he straightened his upper body, all the while feeling her hostile gaze on him.

Their eyes met and for the first time, he saw her close up again - although there was still some distance between them.

If he did not know about this Maisie, there would be no doubt for him that he had found his Katerina again. It's the fire in her eyes, her fierce spirit to protect herself. To his shame, he had to confess that she had caught him cold. The only reason why she hasn't crushed his nose is the fact that he's an Original who heals incredibly fast before he could even notice possible damage. This all can only belong to one person alone.

His gaze immediately softened as he looked at her, but he did not move. He was well aware that for whatever reason, he was a danger to her. He could hear it from her still raging heartbeat, a loud drum echoing in his ears.

Surprisingly, however, her attitude also changed after she took notice of him. Her eyes narrowed slightly before she tilted her head to the side.

"Oh, that’s new," she said, still slightly babbling before pressing her fingertips into her temples and starting to massage them while he furrowed his eyebrows.

Admittedly, he couldn't really make out her reaction, or her behavior. However, he supposed that she was quite tipsy if not even drunk. Perhaps it doesn't need to make sense.

"Are you alright?", he carefully asked, without actually using a name although he was sure this is his Katerina. It's in her eyes. Katerina always had a darker hue than Elena albeit it's admittedly hard to witness because of the dim light. But then there's also her scent he had noted when he caught her from falling. It's different and more intense than he remembered, but still similar to Katerina's. No doppelgänger can be that similar, can't be?

The brunette seemed to consider his words before the corners of her lips tilted upwards and she continued to stagger back while keeping her eyes on him the entire time. Admittedly, this troubled him as he feared she might fall again. At least her ankle seemed to be alright.

"That's a strange question after having attacked someone," she mused before she came to a halt and leaned against the wall of the fountain, her entire movements still wobbly.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to come over as an attacker. I merely wanted to help," he retorted calmly, deciding to play along while keeping his gaze on her attentively but stopping himself from watching her too closely to look for any more hints that this is indeed Katerina.

"It's not polite to grab a lady from behind," she reproved before she started to frown. "But thank you. I guess ... I guess I would have fallen otherwise - in retrospect." She didn't sound too sure about it, as if she wasn't even sure what has happened. Her hands grabbed the edge of the wall behind her as she continued to muster him. He could see how the lights that surrounded them reflected in her eyes, making them sparkle along with her black spaghetti straps dress. "It's very gentlemanly. Somehow you remind me of someone...", she then started to giggle, a sound that is very uncommon to her. At least for the person that she is now. That, and the fact she doesn't seem to recognize him insecure him in his belief that she is Katerina. Surely she can't just have forgotten him?

Elijah pressed his lips together in an attempt to think, to decide what was wise.

Put everything on one card?

Directly ask her if she's Katerina?

Suddenly he wasn’t sure what the better choice was. Because this encounter at almost 1 am wasn't what he had planned. Wasn't what he was preparing for because he isn't sure if this was Katerina or Maisie. But his feeling couldn’t lie to him like that, could it? Even if she had forgotten about him.

He cleared his throat and then carefully moved a little nearer to her.

"I know it’s not the most appropriate moment and it’s by far not enough but I'm sorry, Katerina. For everything," he whispered loud enough for her to hear.

He figured an apology is what needed to be said first, no matter if this was Katerina or not because it is what he owed Katerina first and foremost.

The brunette raised her eyebrows in confusion before she sighed, making him confused in return.

"Geez, you really don't only remind me of someone, you even talk like him. I guess I should stop drinking sooner. My tolerance really does seem like a joke," she rolled her eyes in annoyance before crossing her arms over her chest.

"I beg your pardon?" is all he could stammer because he currently didn't know what else to answer.

"Don't act surprised. I had a tiiiiny little bit too much to drink and then suddenly you turn up and play knight in shining armor although I probably broke your nose? Hardly sounds real. It is common for people to be hunted by ghosts from the past when they're drunk. It’s the reason why some are stupid enough to text their ex at 4 am because they felt like emptying a bottle of whiskey by themselves." She started to wave at him, "That's what you are. A Ghost. Although admittedly a pretty convincing ghost. Didn't believe I'm capable to remember him as detailed although it's hard to forget the way he pronounced 'Katerina'. He always did it so well." The corners of her lips tilted upwards into her signature smirk.

If there was any doubt left that this was Katerina, then it was wiped away. Although she acted as if he wasn't existent right now, she did remember him. There's no way Maisie would have any connection to him but Katerina has. He knew it was completely misplaced right now but he felt a huge burden falling from his shoulders.

He had finally found her.

She was alive and seemed to be well at the first glance if one ignores her drunken state. He wanted to reach out and hold her close, wanted to tell her that everything is going to be alright now. That he missed her and continue to tell her how sorry he was about everything, that he was so relieved to have finally found her. But he knew it would be too much right now, especially because she was convinced he was a result of her intoxication.

"I assure you that I'm real, Katerina," he insured but was quickly dismissed by her.

"I sincerely hope you're not. There's no way Elijah Mikaelson, that's his name by the way, happened to have suddenly found me. Why should he?" she inhaled and gave him a sharp glance, "which means that if you happen to be an actual person, I'm currently talking nonsense to a stranger and that would be hella embarrassing."

Elijah raised his eyebrows in surprise because that truly was an original way to see it. Although he can't say that he can comprehend it because he doesn't believe he has ever been as drunk as to invent a whole person even though his family regularly gives him reasons to empty a full bottle.

"Sounds as if you don't think there's any reason why he should come and search for you..." he stated quietly. He spoke about himself in the third person because it looked like she really doesn't believe he was truly present. Perhaps that way, it's easier for her to interact with him.

Without wanting to, his words caused Katherine to break eye contact and look to the ground. Her expression looked strangely vulnerable.

Had he chosen the wrong words? He certainly didn't want to hurt her.

"I don't think ... I don't think he likes me anymore", she whispered, causing his heart to drop and break a little. He had already feared that it must have looked like he doesn't care about her anymore but that was never the case. It pained her to see that that's indeed what she thought had occurred.

"I'm sure he has no reason to see you any differently than he had seen you before," he replied softly and stepped a little closer to reduce the distance between them.

She carefully peeked up through her lashes and mustered him. "You think so?"

"I'm actually quite sure", he replied with a careful smile, wanting to ensure her that his feelings have never changed.

"Then why has he left?" she questioned, "Why did he break up with me and left? Why didn't he answer my calls when I needed him? I accepted his choice, although I couldn't understand it. He should have known I'd never try to contact him again if it weren't an absolute emergency... he seems to despise me...." she sounded absolutely crushed with pained him even more. Not once had he witnessed her like this. She is usually - like him in that aspect - careful with her feelings. But right now, it all poured out of her making him feel absolutely horrible because she truly seemed to have believed he simply disregarded her like she doesn't mean anything at all to him anymore. And it was all his fault.

How much he would like to take her in his arms and comfort her, reassuring her that her beliefs are not true. But he feared he would overstep a boundary right now so he stayed away although it physically pained him.

Instead, he carefully took her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers to give her hand a reassuring press.

"He doesn't dislike you, Katerina. The opposite is the case. In fact, he still likes you very much," he deliberately didn't choose the word 'love' because he didn't want to pressure her in case she shall remember this conversation once she sobered up. "For a man who is usually very gifted with words, he unknowingly has picked the wrong words. Or in this case, none at all. He should have explained more, he shouldn't have left the way he did. He has been quite the coward in this situation," he mused while meaning every word.

How often had he regretted the way he left after he had realized what it must have looked like for her? How many times had he despised himself for having been too weak to stay a little longer, explain a little more? At that time it had taken every bit of strength for him to leave in order to protect her, but in the end, he should have done more, said more. He shouldn’t have been afraid to show emotions, he shouldn’t have been afraid of the pain.

Seeing to have her caused so much pain up to this day made him feel absolutely horrific.

At least his words seemed to cheer her up a little bit. Her gaze was focused on their hands and the corners of her lips curled up slightly before she raised her gaze.

"A coward indeed. Perhaps even an idiot, an asshole. But I'm an idiot myself, I should have never given him that much power over me," she snorted, her attitude doing a 180 turn.

Of course, he doesn’t appreciate being insulted. To his shame, however, he had to admit that it was deserved in this case. He had been an incredible idiot.

Katerina slipped her hand out of his and pushed herself up the fountain wall where she took a seat - much to his dislike. He really had to hold himself back from not grabbing her wrist in order to stop her from possibly falling into the cold water.

"So, why are you still here?", she questioned and arched an eyebrow at him, "why don't you just pooof?"

"Why do you expect me to 'poof'?" he countered, again confused by her sudden leaps of thought.

"Well, ghost of Elijah. I have dealt with my past and come to a realization. That's usually what ghosts want, right? And then they poof."

"I see. But perhaps this ghost's mission is not yet finished." Although he's very relieved to have calmed her and of course have finally found her in and saw that she’s in an acceptable state, he certainly won't leave her alone right now when she was in such an intoxicated state that she believed to see ghosts. No, he won’t be able to leave until he gets her home safely. He is very surprised that she is not cold with her short dress, although she was probably warmed by the alcohol. Nonetheless, he won't risk her falling into the fountain, twisting her ankle, or being involved in other accidents.

"So you're saying that you poof once the sun goes up?", she seemed genuinely amused by the thought of it.

"We'll see. Do you want me to poof?" he asked after a small pause, almost fearing her answer. What if she despises him so much that she couldn't bear looking at him once she realizes he's indeed real? He knows he has to accept it without complaint, albeit he was already very happy to have any certainty about her condition. He mustn't ask for more.

"I don't know." She sounded honest while she considered her reply. "Part of me wants to watch you burn when you finally poof in the morning. Part of me is ... I don't know ... I suppose a part of me is happy that you're here. Even if it's just a result of my own stupidness because I couldn't resist the damn cocktails but ... I really wished Elijah would search for me. Show me that he cares. That what we had was real. But maybe that's just wishful thinking."

This revelation was again very unexpected because he could feel it coming from the bottom of her heart. And once again he realized how much he had hurt her, what an idiot he was. How could he ever fix what he had broken? Elijah swallowed hard and lowered his gaze.

"What he’s done probably can’t be fixed, he knows that. But once he got your message, he was looking for you. And he didn’t intend to give up or stop until he found you safe. He would never forget or stop caring for you, Katerina, that much is certain."

He meant every word he said, even if he still spoke of himself in the third person, he would never forget it as long as he lived. He wasn’t capable of that.

Katerina hummed at his response, seeming to consider his words. Then, however, she shrugged, followed by an "If you think so,".

Once again her thoughts seemed to jump around wildly and he couldn’t understand what was going on in her head.

She leaned even further back and, to his concern, detached a hand from the wall of the well to plunge it into the cold water.

"Are you also feeling so hot?" she suddenly asked, her eyes turning to the surface of the water. "Somehow I would like to swim. This isn’t as glamorous as a pool, but it certainly serves its purpose."

"I don’t think this is a good idea," he replied with increasing concern, not really understanding how quickly her moods and thoughts could change. Although he could understand that she was feeling hot, a side effect of the alcohol, it was quite cool outside. So cool that he was afraid she would catch a cold if she stayed out here even longer.

"Geeez, why? Even your hallucination somehow has a stick up its ass. Do not dare to think that you can forbid me anything!" Now she was visibly annoyed by him, but at least let go of the water surface, in order to let herself slide from the well wall and then march away from him. Or rather to stumble away, even if her steps were very decisive.

He lost no time following her, this time choosing the path to his relief and not making a cross-country run through the park.

"Forgive me, Katerina, it was not my intention to tell you anything." It didn’t take long for him to catch up with her and run next to her. "You said yourself you are feeling hot. Let me get you a drink or an ice cream". Maybe these were not his best suggestions, but still better than risking that she went swimming somewhere.

She stopped abruptly and turned to him, whereby he could notice that she was considering his offer. "Even though I appreciate the offer, I don’t think it’s a good idea to buy ice cream with you somewhere here. What should people think when I speak with air? I have a reputation to lose. Besides, I’m not hot anymore." Her hands brushed over her bare upper arms and now he could see that she started to freeze. Goose bumps covered her skin.

Without hesitation, he unbuttoned his suit jacket to put it over her shoulders.

"Here, I hope that helps you something."

She seemed touched by this gesture. She murmured a soft thank you and her fingertips lightly brushed the fabric of his jacket, even revealing a hint of a smile on her lips. He could also see that she seemed to relax. The tension receded from her limbs and he could see that her eyelids began to flutter, even if she apparently wanted to fight it.

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked because it was probably the best thing if she lay down and dozed off her intoxication. There was no need for an expert to realize that she was overwound and very vulnerable at the moment, and she was exhausted.

"Hmmm, the great gentleman who offers to take me home? How can I say no?", she whispered, again a smile on her lips.

"It will be an honor for me," he replied before asking her for directions, as he did not know where she lived. He also offered her his arm, just in case.

Some time later they stood in front of a four-story building, which was built in a U-shape. In the middle was an impressive entrance hall with four columns, to which a symmetrical staircase led left and right to the entrance. He could see why she had chosen this building, as far as one can, of course, choose an accommodation. It had a certain old European flair, as it was built in Neoclassical architecture.

Surprisingly, there weren't a lot of people around, although the party still seemed to be going on. Perhaps (or most likely) it's still too early for people to go home. Whatever it was, it didn't bother him. On the contrary, he enjoyed having some more time alone with her.

"There we are," she stated in a still slightly slurred tone as she detached herself from his arm.

"Are you certain you can make it safely to your quarters?", he asked, his eyes quickly scanning the number of stairs that led up to the entrance. Who knows if this building has an elevator inside? Is it wise to let her climb all the stairs alone?

"Are you starting to become a worrier?" she asked, her eyebrows raising in amusement. "So concerned about my safety, I almost feel flattered." She peeled his jacket off her shoulders and handed it to him, saying that she wants to give it back to him since she doesn't need it anymore.

"I'm not someone who repeats mistakes, Katerina, and would it be so wrong if I worry about you?", he asked as he took his jacket and folded it in half to lay it over his arm. All the while, he didn't move his eyes away from the brunette.

"Hmm, you just confirmed that you're a mere illusion." This was all that she said and she seemed to be sad about it, despite the teasing tone in her words.

Elijah inhaled because she still seemed to be convinced he was the result of her intoxication. What would he give to ensure her that he's real? But perhaps it's for the best. At least he made sure she found home safe and protected, and perhaps she'll wake up with a good memory of him. That's the best thing he can hope for because he is aware that he doesn't deserve to hope for more.

"I wish you a good night, Katerina." He reluctantly said, his smile only half-heartedly, not wanting to let her go. But deep inside, he knows it's the right thing to do at this particular moment and in her current state. He didn’t want to harass her or deprive her of her feeling of safety. Katerina has to do the first step if she wishes to invite him or spend more time with him. At least as it is now.

"Good Night, Elijah," she returned and moved towards the entrance, carefully climbing the first stairs.

He waited until she was at the entrance gate of the building when she unexpectedly stopped and turned around, looking down at him. He meet her gaze, and he could see the slight confusion in her eyes. Her brows were slightly knitted, and he was under the impression that she reassessed the situation, perhaps deciding what was real and what wasn't. However, before he could set it, she had turned around and vanished into the building.

Elijah stood still on the same spot for a little while, immobilized by their unexpected encounter and interaction. Now that she was gone, he wasn't sure himself if it had been real.

His fingertips smoothed over the jacket over his arm that had already lost the warmth of her overheated skin, and although he tried to make out her scent, he wasn't capable of detecting it.

Of course, he could try to follow her, but that would violate his principles. Besides, he wasn't even sure if he was capable of entering the building.

So he stood there, like something that was ordered, but not picked up, with a frown on his features as he tried to evaluate the past situation.

Had it been real?

Or, as Katerina had proclaimed about herself, a result of his wishful thinking, a result of being way too overworked?

He hoped that the future (or rather: the next day) will show it.

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A/N: I hope you've liked this chapter and are excited for the next one (most likely not published until next year).Would you wish for Elijah to pooof in the morning? What do you think is Katherine's/Maisie's favorite drink? Who's the mysterious guy Katherine/Maisie seems to be involved with? Please consider leaving feedback (or a like) as it keeps my muse for writing alive.♥

#Kalijah #Katherine x Elijah #Elijah x Katherine #Kalijah ff #tvd #vampire diaries #tvd family #tvd fanfiction #katherine stan club #elijah stan club #kalijah stan club

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calummss · 6 months

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Orange, White and Dark Rosé | Rebekah Mikaelson

masterlist

summary: with cancer slowly eating you alive, you come back to school to see a beautiful girl that has started to make you question everything you thought you knew

pairing: fem! reader x rebekah mikaelson

words: 3.9k

a/n: for my girl kissers!! <33 also i believe this is my longest fic yet… NOT PROOFREAD

You’ve had the worst few months of your life. What started out as a simple cough became more painful throughout the weeks. Each cough as though your lungs were torn from your chest, no air to keep you breathing. Night sweats became drowning; difficulty swallowing became not eating at all.

‘You have pleural mesothelioma, Miss Blanchard.’ The words the doctor uttered still so freshly imprinted on your mind. He continued moving his lips but nothing but inaudible muffles penetrated your ears as the sound of your own heartbeat filled your empty void.

Several nights after your diagnosis you woke up. The air drained from your lungs as fluid started to build up between your lungs and chest wall. The sensation of drowning without water in sight. It was a nightmare. Your body turning on you, ready to take you away despite the care you took to look after it.

Following those events you were pulled out of school, your parents worried sick as their daughter was at risk for involuntary death any minute of any day. The feeling of loneliness only increasing as you spent most days alone in your room; on the chair at your therapist's office; or the dining table chair, eyes piercing through you as you tried to make conversation about anything else but your cancer.

‘Do you need help cutting the chicken?’, ‘Need more water?’, ‘Leave the dishes, sweetheart. Your dad and I’ll get to them.’

Your cancer not only took your life but your maturity, letting people treat you like a damsel in distress, needing help with everything when you wish you could just forget everything bad for one day and live as normally as you could, one day at a time.

‘I’m going back to school,’ you said, placing your cutlery down on the dinner mat, staring onto your plate as you could hear the chewing of rubbery green beans stop.

Your mother grabbed her glass of wine, clearing her throat and washing it down all at once. Your father stared at your mother as she tried to find words that reflected her wish to protect you and to keep you as comfortable as possible.

‘I’m sorry, darling, you said you wanted to go back to school?’

‘Yes.’

‘Can I ask what brought this sudden request.’ She neatly folded her ageing hands underneath her chin, her eyes resting on you as your father’s eyes jumped from frame to frame, unsure what to say.

‘I just want to live as normal as possible,’ you let out a sigh, ‘I miss my friends, I miss having to do stuff, I miss…I can’t believe I’m saying this,’ you chuckled, feeling heat rush through your face. ‘I miss homework. School assignments, presentations, stuff I hated before but made me normal. A normal girl living a boring life. I’m missing my chance at a full life just because of this cancer I’m sure will rob me even further as time passes. I need to be able to feel like I belong somewhere despite…all this.’

Their eyes stayed focused on you, soft eyebrows trying to interpret what you needed the most in a time where everything slowly started to deteriorate.

‘Have you thought about what your school life would be like now, Y/n?’ Your father engulfed your hands, his thumb rubbing circles as he often did. ‘You would need to carry around an oxygen tank in case of an emergency. You complained every day that the school day was hard and now it will be three times that of before. I understand where you're coming from but I need you to know what decision you are making…Your mother and I only want what’s best for you and if that is going back to school so be it. But we will have to make sure you are okay at all times.’

‘I really do want to go back…’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes.’

‘Fine,’ your mother took your other free hand. ‘You can go back to school. But promise us that when things get hard that you will tell us and may have to take a step back from school again.’

‘I promise.’ You smiled at them, squeezing their hands tight. ‘I will accept my limits when they come.’

The very next week you stood back on the familiar ground of Mystic Falls High; home to the timberwolves. The bell you dreaded every morning , rather wanting to exchange gossip with Elena and Caroline. However that particular morning you have never felt more excited to walk through the halls. Hallways you haven’t seen in a few months. Faces of fellow students.

Walking through the door you noticed a heap of pitiful glances, welcome backs, get well soons and prayers. It wasn't unusual for everyone to know what had happened to you, Mystic Falls was a small town after all. Their words of condolences were sweet. You cherished them. But when you live on limited time, burned out hope and terminal cancer with a survival rate of 9.6%, it was hard to pretend like you would get better when their words could easily be uttered to a person that simply caught the common cold. Nothing could fix you. The only thing you had were fifteen months to make sure to drain every last drop of experiences life has to offer. No prayers, no words of the world could help—only medicine could. And even that was a shot in the dark. Caroline had offered her vampire blood to you on more than one occasion, but you were convinced that it wouldn’t help so you declined it over and over again, continuing to deny the chance at a normal life that you craved more than anything.

Heading towards your locker, you placed your emergency oxygen tank inside, the dust of month’s absences piling on old books you had left behind the day the cough became too unbearable.

Closing the door you made your way to your first class of the day; history taught by Mr. Saltzman. Bracing yourself to walk into a room full of eyes, you noticed that the classroom was empty for the exception of a girl. She was beautiful. The type of beautiful you would see beyond your day, wondering whether or not you would see them again. She had light hair, almost as white as her skin that bore freckles across the apples of her cheeks and nose that stuck between pages of a book that let her long black lashes show. Full lips pursed, knitted eyebrows framing her face.

‘I’m sorry,’ you felt rude for interrupting her obvious devotion to studying. ‘Is this history with Mr. Saltzman?’

‘Yes.’ She answered boorishly, eyes stuck on the pages, rushing her words as she paid no attention to you.

‘Where is everyone?’ God you were embarrassed to disrupt her again.

‘How would I know?’ She sighed, finally looking up. Her blue eyes locking with yours as you appreciated her beauty, wishing you looked like her. To be so flawless.

‘Oh, I’m sorry—I just—ehm, it’s kind of my first day back in a few months and the lack of students is making me doubt if I am in fact in the right room…’

‘No, this is the correct room,’ she stopped looking at her notes, her crystal eyes glued to your face as you continued to study her details. ‘So you went here before then?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why did you stop?’

‘Got sick.’ You pressed your lips together, sliding your hands into the back pockets of your jeans that clung to your thighs.

‘What sickness?’ She asked with a genuine look of interest, almost as if it were her first time encountering a sick person. Lucky her.

‘Cancer.’

‘Ohh,’ she puckered up her lips, squinting at you, her words confusingly sounding concerned and uninterested. ‘That sucks.’

‘Yeah,’ you breathed, the continuous standing started to make itself known as your shoulders started to feel lighter. ‘It sucks.’

‘Well you are free to sit next to me. I don’t tend to be liked by most.’ Her pearly teeth peaked between dark roseish lips. ‘I’m Rebekah by the way,’

‘Y/n,’ you smiled back. ‘Nice to meet you.’

Walking over to sit down next to her, the sudden sound of familiar voices washed over you as Caroline and Elena came through the entrance, their eyes widening as soon as they saw you standing back in the classroom that had felt your absence the past months.

‘Y/n, oh my god!’ They almost shouted in union as they sprinted to hug you tight, their arms merging into your back as you reunited with your friends. No hospital visits or phone calls, just friends seeing each other in school like you always have.

‘Come sit with us!’ Caroline dragged you towards the front of the room, your eyes turning back to Rebekah who had observed your encounter with the girls, her eyes smiling back at you, her spark diminished as you parted from her.

In your next class you saw Rebekah again.

Again sitting alone at the dissecting table and when you made up your mind to sit next to her, Rebekah noticing your upcoming footsteps, Elena and Caroline barged through the door like they had before. Pulling you towards the opposite end of where she was sitting, her seat staying vacant as her eyes continued to find you throughout the lesson.

‘Rebekah, wait!’ You called after her, the last sound of the bell signalling the end of the school day.

Rebekah turned around, her blonde hair framing her face. Strands of hair blowing across her face, caught amongst her lashes. The sun reflecting on her skin.

‘About your offer to sit next to you,’ you lifted your arm to block the blazing sun. ‘I would like it if you held that spot for me tomorrow. If you still want me to sit next to you…’

‘Sure, it’s not like it’ll be occupied anytime soon. It’s yours to take.’

‘Okay then…’

‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/n, okay?’

‘Sure, yeah totally,’ you cleared your throat as you mentally prepared for the criticism you were about to hold above your head. ‘See you tomorrow.’

Rebekah gave you a last smile, ‘Bye.’

‘Bye,’ you whispered, her feet already taking off towards the other side of your way home, leaving behind a manipulative smell of vanilla and macadamia nut, that you swore was the nicest fragrance you had smelled in a long time.

The next day you came walking back through the class again, finding Rebekah by herself at her assigned spot, her hand swiftly moving across her page.

‘Good morning, Y/n.’ She greeted, her eyes never leaving her paper.

‘How could you tell it was me?’

‘I smelled your strawberry perfume before you even entered the room,’ she finally lifted her head to reveal her face.

‘Do you like it?’ What is wrong with me?????

‘I do.’ Nevermind.

‘You don’t mind if I keep my word, right?’ You eyes up the chair next to her, waiting for her response, silently hoping that no one would barge in to seat you away from her.

‘Feel free to use all the space you need.’

You chuckled, letting your feet carry you to the table next to her, her familiar scent back in your memory as you took out your school supplies, feeling her gaze on you.

‘So,’ you turned your head to her body already turned towards you. ‘Are you new here? I haven’t seen you before?’

‘Yeah, I am. I moved here a couple of weeks ago. My brother has been here for a month now and I wanted a change of scenery.’ She let out a breath. ‘There’s only so much of New Orleans you can take.’

‘New Orleans? That is very different from Mystic Falls…’ You raised your eyebrows with a grin, your armpit resting over the back of the chair, legs crossed, turned towards her. ‘Do you like it here?’

‘So far I do…’ Rebekah glanced at you, a shimmer of light swimming amongst her pale eyes.

‘That’s good…’ You stared back because it was the only thing you could do.

Her hand reached for your hair, taking a strand of it and twirling it around her index finger, gently laying the curls heated with her body temperature on your shoulder, ‘You have really nice hair.’

‘Thank you,’ you felt a rush of heat make its way to your cheeks, your stomach starting to feel queasy as you let her words repeat in your mind. ‘I love your— well actually everything about you is really beautiful.’

‘You are too kind.’

‘I wouldn’t lie.’

‘I know you’re not.’

‘Good…’ Your eyes couldn’t part from her, her face burned into the back of your mind, still wanting to stare at her as long as you could. Her smile bringing warmth to you.

‘I wouldn’t lie either,’ she repeated.

‘Good.’

The teacher came in, disturbing the awful long eye contact, both cleared by loud coughs, Rebekah and your eyes settling to the front of the class; no more looks being exchanged for the rest of the lesson, though you fought the urge to catch a glimpse.

‘Do you have anything planned today?’ Rebekah and you walk out of the building, the school day coming to an end as grey clouds started to gather above you.

‘No, I don’t think so.’

‘Would you like to come over to mine?’ She turned her face to you. ‘We could watch a movie, bake something, I don’t know. Do something typical for a teenage girl.’

Typical for a teenage girl. Normalcy. She treated you normally. Never once mentioning the fact you were sick or if you were okay with it. She treated you like an equal.

‘I would love to.’ You replied, feeling glad that a person could forget about everything shitty in your life and talk to you like you were just like them.

Rebekah drove you to her home, finding out that she had a rather large heep in possession. The kind of car you’d take to the beach on an early summer morning; running towards the cold water as sand stuck to your naked skin. Rebekah was a good driver, unlike your father that made you glad that you had health insurance…

Seemingly arriving at her house, a big mansion greeted you. Surrounded by trees, a long driveway leading to the mansion’s entrance.

‘This is your house?’ You asked, eyes glued onto the building, imagini how many room it must’ve had. How many square feet it covered.

‘Yes.’

‘It’s so nice.’

‘I know,’ she chuckled, unbuckling her seatbelt. ‘I have to admit that my brother does have great taste when it comes to architecture. Suppose it’s his only good trait.

‘You have a brother?’

‘Too many…’

You let out a laugh, you too unbuckled your seatbelt to step out of her car, feeling so small as you walked towards the door. The interior of the house was just as beautiful. Simple yet classy Rebekah threw her keys onto one of the dressers that stood by the door and told you to follow her, your head turning left and right, mesmerised by everything you took in.

‘Rebekah.’ You suddenly heard a male voice call from behind you. He had a nice accent just like she did.

‘What, Nik?’ She didn’t sound too happy to see him.

‘Aren’t you going to introduce me?’

‘This is Y/n from school. Don’t eat her, she has cancer.’

You listened to her with a quizzical look on your face, looking at her as she mirrored your expression.

‘What?’ She asked.

‘Vampire?’ You asked.

‘Yeah.’

‘Hmm,’

‘You don’t seem surprised…’

‘I have lived in Mystic Falls all my life,’ you let out a jestful breath. ‘Nothing surprises me anymore.’

‘Well,’ his voice made you turn your back on Rebekah, his tone full of pride and confidence, ‘welcome to my humble abode.’

‘Humble is a great word to describe all of this,’ you grinned, looking at the room once more. ‘But it is really nice. You have good taste.’

‘I know I do. Best get going then,’ he pointed towards Rebekah whose facial expressions couldn’t have made it clearer that she wanted to get away from him.

‘Nice to meet you.’

‘You too.’

You paced towards Rebekah who told you to follow her, different hallways leading towards a really nice kitchen.

She grabbed all the ingredients that you thought was going to make a cake and watched as her eyes crinkled, so focused on finding everything that you needed.

‘Are we making a cake?’

‘We are,’ she snuck a quick grin, her head pack in the cabinet searching for a baking tin.

‘What type of cake?’

‘Well,’ she resurfaced, placing the tin on the counter, her cheeks lightly flushed. ‘I kind of asked Elena what your favourite cake was and she said your favourite was a lemon cake, so we are going to make that. Unless she lied…’

‘No, no,’ you tried hiding a grin, fingers picking at your palm. ‘It is my favourite.’

‘Good.’ Rebekah exclaimed, almost throwing the flour at you. ‘You'll do dry and I’ll do the wets.’

Continuing to make the cake, Rebekah was whisking the cake batter enthusiastically, dancing along to Stacy’s Mom that blasted through the stereo. Carelessly throwing her limbs up and down, swaying her head with the biggest grin you had ever seen…She was so beautiful

‘Oh,’ Rebekah gasped, your mouth widening in shocked as wet drops of batter landed on your face, Rebekah accidentally swinging the wrong arm to the rhythm.

You let out a giggle, trying to swipe away the batter but it was no ise. Every stroke just spreading it more evenly across your face. ‘Shit.’

‘Here I got it,’ she set aside the bowl and came closer, placing her thumb on your cheek, getting the batter on her finger, her eyes momentarily longing on you. She retracted her thumb and licked off the excess, eyes never breaking contact.

You stared at her for what felt like forever, captivated by her face; her eyes, her lips, all whispering to you that you should come closer. You leaned in, your heart beating so powerfully you ought to stop, exhaustion that came with the sickness. But you didn’t. Neither did she. Her breath ricocheted off your cheeks, her glimmering eyes infatuating yours as you could feel your lips take the lead but before your skins touched, a loud opening of the door made you jump back, looking back at what had caused you to separate.

‘What do you want, Elijah?’ Rebekah asked forcefully, the older man’s eyes glimpsing at both you and her

‘Do I need to want something walking around in my house?’

You observed the two, their banter making it clear that he too must be one of the ‘too many’ brothers she had talked about.

Feeling queasy, you quickly said goodbye to Rebekah and Elijah, telling them you weren’t feeling too well, a perk when being the teenager with cancer. Everyone at all times will believe it.

You had to get away from Rebekah. She was clouding your mind and falling for a girl wasn’t supposed to happen. You’ve been with a guy or two and those feelings you felt when you were around them, you recognised as the image of her resurrected itself in your mind. You liked her, but you couldn’t like her. At least not right now.

‘I’m home!’ You called into the house, the smell of grilled eel filtering through the air: your favourite.

‘We’re in the kitchen!’

You placed your backpack next to the stairs, ready to take them to your room once you were done with dinner. Entering the kitchen you saw your mother plate the last of the cut up eel pieces onto the plate, placing it on the table with some salads and rice. Your father stood by the kitchen aisle making some mocktails from his newly purchased mocktail cookbook thing you got him recently.

After dinner you went up to your room, putting the oxygen tube on your face as today’s exhaustion came running to you. Thinking back on the moments that increased your heartbeat.

‘Honey, are you okay?’ You heard your father’s footsteps approaching your room, leaning against the door frame.

‘Yeah,’ you nodded, glancing at your oxygen tank. ‘Hard day. Have to catch my breath. Literally.’

He chuckled, coming in to hug you. ‘Just make sure to tell us once you’ve reached your limit, okay? I know you like to act tough and pretend that you can still keep up but you need to have a reality check. You’re not the same as before and that’s okay. No one is trying to put you in a box. You just need to accept that certain limits cannot be reached anymore…’

‘Yeah I know, dad. I know. It’s just hard having to turn my back on my past life.

The next few weeks Rebekah and you pretended like the moment back at her house didn’t happen. Continuing to sit next to each other in class, meeting at each other’s houses or going out in town.

It was easier ignoring the moment than trying to talk about it because if you were being honest, what would you even say? You liked her as a friend. Nothing more. You’ve known her for less than a month so how could your heart possibly flutter at the thought of her touch on your skin.

Then you were invited to the Mikaelson ball, a card delivered to your doorstep. On the back Rebekah’s writing said, to meet her there to clear stuff up.

So when Friday came, you managed to find a dress and head towards the mansion you had previously entered before. Only this time you were hooked to oxygen after a water build up episode that caused your lungs to fill with water.

Arriving at the mansion you were greeted by servants who took your coat, without looking, wanting to grab your tank thinking it was luggage. ‘I’ll be needing this…’

‘Hi.’

You turned around, already knowing whose soft voice it belonged to.

‘Hi.’

‘You look gorgeous.’ She awed in amazement.

‘You too.’

‘Are you okay?’

‘Oh, yeah,’ you noticed her lingering stare on your tank. ‘Lungs filled with water. Nothing crazy.’

‘We need to talk. I’m sorry.’

‘No I’m sorry.’ You said.

‘For what.?’

Compelled in the moment you pulled the last of your confidence together and stepped closer to Rebekah, who looked unsure of what you were about to do. ‘For this.’ You placed your lips on Rebekah’s, gently kissing her lips as a thousand thoughts filled your mind, all screaming to stop, but you didn’t want to.

Rebekah’s hand found your face as she deepened the kiss,careful not to tangle the oxygen tube.

You’ve never felt this way before. You thought Rebekah was just the type of pretty you wanted to be, not knowing that she was just someone you wanted to be with. And with dying time there wasn’t another person you would rather kiss other than her.

The start of a short love story; the dead and dying.

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