Katherine woke up at the crack of dawn, she went outside for a much needed run. Ever since she came back, her days starts like this. With a run through the woods, the wind on her fur, and ground beneath her paws. After taking the shower, she found Matt waited for her in the garden stone table area.
"So, your kids are like Hope?" Matt didn't even greet. Rude.
"There is no one like Hope." She responded with a slight frown at his lack of manners. But, it is soon replaced by a contented smile after she took a sip from the cup of coffee in her hand.
"Good morning. I am asking if they are also true born vampires like Hope Mikealson." Matt looked to have not slept well.
"Is that all you care about? Whether they are vampires? Shouldn't it be their witch lineage that has you scared out of your mind?" Katherine asked with a raised eyebrow. Matt looked confused.
"This is why children should go to school." She drank her coffee ignoring Matt, when Rebekah Mikealson also walked in, she took a seat right in front of the content Katherine.
"Good morning." Katherine looked at her with narrowed eyes. Rebekah ignored her suspicious gaze and looked at Matt.
"What she means, is that witches from my bloodline are recorded as not only powerful, but arguably ruthless and some may even argue they are evil. That should scare you mate." Rebekah gave a sweet smile that seem to make Matt sweat a little.
"You do remember Ester don't you? Wasn't she the reason Bonnie's mother was killed? And that Elena became a vampire?" Katherine looks amused by his uncomfortable state.
"Stop!" Matt opened the file he had walked in carrying.
"Oh, that's not happening anymore." Katherine closed the file with her mind.
"Why?" Matt frowned looking displeased.
"Because Elijah is here. He won't let the kids anywhere near such a bloody scene." Katherine rolled her eyes. "So, go find someone else to bother."
"No, you know these symbols, and by your words, you are the one who let these things get in the hands of bad people." Matt spat.
"Well, would it help if I promise not to do it again?" She looked up at him with a dismissive smile.
"No!" Matt seems exhausted.
"I am not interested to help you." Kat sounded bored.
Matt rubbed his forehead. "How about I do something for you?" This person is the only solid lead he has after encountering dead ends everywhere.
Katherine snorted. "Like what?"
"I heard you wanted to become an instructor in the Salvatore school? I can pull some strings." Matt looked at her with a coaxing gaze.
Katherine tilted her head, thinking about it.
"Alright. Make it happen first. Then I will bother with this." She pushed the file back towards him.
"People are dying." Matt said with frustration.
"People die every day." She looked away from him as he stormed off holding his file.
"I hear you are married to my brother?" Rebekah asked looking like a gossipy high school girl.
"Only on paper. We are separated." Kat responded nonchalantly.
"Why?" She seems invested in this relationship.
"Ask him." Katherine sounded uninterested.
"Anyways, I want to meet my niece and nephews." Rebekah seems to be happy about this particular news. Odd. She hadn't been this happy before.
"They should be up soon enough." Katherine saw Bobby coming with a small box.
"Here." She gave it to Katherine. The box has the latest cell phone. After thanking her, Katherine focused on installing apps. Rebekah seems to want to say something.
"Your nervous energy is annoying. Take a walk that way if you are that anxious to meet them. Elijah is also in the treehouse. But Hope is also there."
"Can you remove the Hallow from my body?" Rebekah finally came out and asked.
"Are you sure you want that?." Katherine looked at Rebekah with a smile that is not a smile. "If you are no longer required to be cities away from Klaus, he may decide to be needy and controlling, again." Katherine saw a flicker in Rebekah's gaze.
But whatever it was, it disappeared soon enough. She steeled her gaze again. "I don't care if your married to my brother, you don't get to talk to me that way. Nor do you get to talk about any of my siblings with that tone." She had appeared in front of Kat, her hand tightening around her delicate looking neck.
Katherine simply pulled the vampires hand and casually snapped it. Before exerting force to push her away slightly. However, this slight push sent Rebekah towards the stone wall of the main house.
Luckily, someone held her in their arms, just as her face is about to be smashed against the wall.
"Are you sure it is not because you don't want to?" Katherine narrowed her eyes at the new comer. Her eyes flickered with resentment but it soon disappeared.
"When I heard you are back, I couldn't believe it." To Katherine's surprise, there is a sense of meeting old acquaintances in his voice. She scrutinized his face, not daring to hope.
"What do you want? Have you forgotten what happened to you the last time you were here?" Katherine spoke to him with a dismissive attitude, but underneath everything, she wondered if Klaus truly rememberes her.
The lightness in her tone, surprised Rebekah. She was still shocked by Katherine's strength.
Klaus stood in front of Katherine with that familiar smirk. "Zdravei Katharina."
A moment seem to pass between them. Recognition, reunion, some feelings of resentment and other unidentified emotions passed between them in moments.
"Ugh... what do you want?" Katherine slammed her cup on the stone table with annoyance. "And how did you remember me?" Her tone came out as a grumble.
"I never forgot." Klaus said with a smirk, there are other things he seem to be holding back from saying. He quickly hit these unspoken words behind his familiar smirk.
"In fact, I have been trying to find out what happened to you. I went to your pack resort, but they also didn't remember you." He then seem to be remembering something.
Then he blinked, blanketed all the memories behind his familiar Mikealson smile full of charm and no substance.
"Why?" Katherine frowned. To have remembered her, and then tried to find her. Kat would sooner think he would try by all means to ensure no one remembers her.
"When you were erased, everything went to hell." He seem to be merging with shadows around him. Kat sensed his foul mood. Curious, she tilted her head with interest.
Seeing her interest, Klaus looked around the place and then his eyes settled on her. He looked at her with this intense unreadable expression, almost making her uncomfortable.
"I hate to admit it, but you helped me a lot with my family." He looked like he swallowed a fly. His mind seem to wonder again, his usually playful eyes suddenly redden at the corners. This deeply disturbed Katherine.
Rebekah looked incredulous. Klaus coughed, as if to regain his bearings. Then continued to talk.
"Finn's alter ego took over as soon as memories of you disappeared. His good relationship with Kol became nonexistent. Rebekah went back to undervaluing herself. Kol started to despise our family with passion. Hayley started to let others influence her confidence in the the family, in me." He looked away as if he is collecting himself.
"Elijah..well, do I even need to say?" He shrugged his shoulders as if to say, you know him.
Katherine didn't look impressed. "Like you said, they are YOUR family. Even Elijah proved that to me at postmortem." Kat wanted a drink. So, she pulled out a golden dew.
She took out a short whiskey glass and poured half full, before giving it to Klaus. Then took out two more, for herself and Rebekah.
Rebekah looked from Katherine to Klaus. Then she took the glass and drank a mouthful. "Did I know you before?"
"You, Kol and Finn helped organize my wedding with Elijah." Katherine produced a photo album she had stored in the warehouse.
"Where was Nick?" Rebekah looked completely bewildered.
"I had him imprisoned in an accelerated time dungeon. Let him think he had been there for years after only a few days." Katherine seems to recal a fond memory as she smiled. Klaus didn't react much. He continued his monolog.
"At first I thought it is best that you're gone. But then I started to notice things, and people completely change. Finn's change was immediate. His depression came back hard. Mother took this opportunity to twist him again. Everything we had been building towards, completely vanished over night." Klaus almost sounded vulnerable.
"How awful." Katherine internally rolled her eyes. She was the one abandoned by her husband!
"I know you're being sarcastic right now. But .." He looked away. "It really is. Everything is ruined." His shoulders seem to sag for a fraction of a second. Then his eyes found hers, he held her gaze and said something absurd. "You need to fix it."
Kat would be dishonest if she said she didn't find this moment bizarre, she may even feel a bit sorry for him. If she didn't know him. When she spoke, her voice sounded flat, with a bit of amusement.
"Like I said, I enjoy your pain..immensely." Katherine looked to be in a good mood again.
Klaus looked defeated. "What is that face? Shouldn't it be me who lost our little war? You won, just like you said. No matter whether I give him children, he will never choose me over you. So you see? You did win. I lost him. In return, you lost me. It's a delightful vicious cycle that we have between us."
"Indeed. You lost him, and I lost you. We lost you. All of us, as it turns out." Klaus reminisces, finishing his drink. Kat is also not as triumphant as she sounds. There is a lingering sadness between her brows.
A comfortable silent fell over the two of them.
"Dad?!" Hope ran to her father. Klaus showed a brilliant smile, he picked her up and the two of them seem to be in a painting.
The father spinning his daughter in the air amidst the bright flowers and colorful fishes in a nearby fountain. The scene is very peaceful and full of joy and tenderness.
Hope's happiness is contagious. Making people want to take out paintbrush and capture this moment forever.
The wind picked up, the Hallow inside Rebekah and Klau seemingly sensing Hope. But nothing else happened. This place is essentially a separate dimension, with runes isolating it from the rules outside.
"Littlest wolf. How come you are here?" Klaus lifted Hope and sat her on the chair next to him.
"Mom." Hildrum dove for her, making Katherine laugh at the brutish conduct. He almost knocked her over. She is still incredibly happy with this development.
"Morning mom." Erna, behaving like a well mannered little fairy calmly took her seat nearest to Katherine. Eric sat on the other side of Katherine. Then the kids turned ro watch Klaus with interest.
"Morning children. Did you all sleep well?" Katherine asked them kindly.
"Very well." Elijah said coming out from the same place as the children.
"Morning Elijah." Klaus smiled at his brother's antics.
"Nicklaus, what brings you here?" Elijah blinked, unable to hide the delight in his eyes. Katherine wanted to roll her eyes.
"When I heard a Petrova doppelganger named Katherine has appeared in Mysticfalls, I thought, what are the odds?" Klaus gave his brother a pointed look.
"What do you mean? Did you not forget her with the rest of the world?" Elijah looked shocked.
"I didn't. When everyone did I thought it wise to not remind you, incase it hurts you." Klaus looked at his brother with a deadpan.
"I think I understand why." Katherine looked at Hope. She explained. The pit was made with the blood of a witch, a vampire and a werewolf to rid the world of monsters. Klaus may only be werewolf and vampire but his bother was a witch. The pit will not have power over him." Katherine explained as breakfast is served on the table.
"Oh? Does that mean you need my help?" Klaus showed a smug smile. This annoyed Katherine, she moved Andrew from her side and walked up to Nicklaus.
Katherine pulled Klau by the ear away from the table. The kids laughed at Nicklaus for being pulled by the ear like a child.
Elijah wiped his mouth and followed. The children looked dumbfounded. A distance away from the children, Klaus finally pulled away from her hand. Kat erected a space barrier around the three of them to ensure the kids can't hear their conversation.
"That thing has monsters inside. Powerful creatures created by witches over the years. It was created by a witch, a vampire and a werewolf to hunt and eat these abominations. To rid the world of powerful monsters that bring destruction to the humans."
"Is this were you were? What is it like?" Klaus and Elijah looked serious.
"It is essentially made from mud. The spell that made it, imbued it with appetite to swallow monsters. But it can not eat the three clans."
"Then, it is no threat to us."
"That thing grew sentient, trying gain the ability to walk among humans as one of them." The two's expression became serious.
"I read the memories of its first offspring. It made him to become human, with ability to devour powerful monsters. Also, that spell did not exclude humans. That is how it has been trying to made children."
"Don't you see? This is why nature allowed a creature with all three bloodlines to come to be. It wants to use Hope to kill that thing!" Klaus looked at Katherine with his werewolf eyes.
"I wasn't sure before but when you didn't forget me like the rest of the world, I instantly knew. There's more."
"What?!" Klaus looks about ready to go to war.
"I may have accidentally given the thing what it's wants. Which means, it may be walking among humans as we speak." Katherine answered looking a bit guilty.
"Explain." Klaus spoke through clenched teeth.
"It created a son. He is immortal, which is a flaw since it had wanted to make a human to possess..." She explained.
"It wants to wear its children?" Elijah looked alarmed.
"Yes."
"And in my anger, I stripped him of his ability to revive endlessly. Effectively turning him into a human." She continued.
"You did that?" The two of them asked in unison.
"Yeah, I was turned mortal by someone..." She gave Klaus a stink eye. "I didn't want to die inside that thing, so I took the ability for myself. Also, that thing managed to impregnate a human woman who was previously thrown into the pit before and then let her go. That child should be Hope's age." Hearing this, they both sucked in cold hair.
"If I am not wrong, the reason your swimmers were allowed to hatch Hayley's egg is because of this. If a monster like that could walk around eating every one, only Hope can kill him." The more she spoke, she more frightened she became.
"How can you be so sure?" Klaus is holding on to a sliver of hope.
"That place exists, inside are things that would make your skin crawl. I still need therapy for meeting some of them. I don't know what witches were thinking." Katherine shuddered.
"So, then what about your children?" Klaus asked her casually.
"They are part vampire so the pit can't eat them without being poisoned." She dismissed any danger to the kids.
"No, I mean how come they were also born?" Klaus pressed.
"Maybe nature opened a whole and more than one person got in? Anyways, if I were you, I'd be very careful with Hope. This thing will definitely figure out only she can kill it." She warned.
"What about me?" Klaus asked her with agitation.
"You can't even do magic. You are imperfect. Your daughter is also just a witch. But she has the chance to become three things at once. She is a perfect version of all three clans. I bet even if she becomes a vampire, she will still be werewolf, and do magic." Katherine answered.
"Then, help me be able to do magic as well I will face this thing in her place." Klaus said with a bit of desperation.
"You give me too much credit." She gestured dismissively.
"No, your vampires are able to do magic after a while. As long as they have witch lineage. Just like how they can somehow have children." Klaus spoke with confidence.
Katherine hadn't been told about this. More importantly, "How do you know that?" She frowned.
"What was it you said? Oh I remember, Know thy enemy." Klaus smirked.
"We believed it was because of the elixir you have everyone take. It is eliminating all unfavorable issues about being a vampire, bringing them closer to being a natural creature without nature's limits." Elijah chimed in.
"Remember how Silis couldn't do magic as an immortal? The same applies to werewolves and witches. But your elixir defies this limit." Elijah explained.
"Interesting. But I will never, ever, give Klaus Mikealson a way to become stronger. Ever."
"Even if it means saving his daughter?" Elijah asked in agitation.
"Yes. Even if it means bring the apocalypse to the world. I would rather everyone dies, than save him, or his daughter." Katherine smiled lightly at their ugly expression.
"You don't mean that." Klaus lowered his eyes and looked at her.
"No?" Katherine mocked. "Two of the woman in my family were heavy with child that day. Should I explain to you how I found them?" Katherine showed a disgusted expression seeing Klaus looking like this. "Let me tell you, everything that is coming for you, is what you deserve." She tapped his shoulder lightly before taking away the barrier and walking away.