Chapter Text
1864 Mystic Falls
"I'm first again." Katherine laughed towards Stefan who just caught up with her. She was very fast. He sometimes wondered where she got this whole energy from.
"I believe, I deserve some prize," Katherine said.
Stefan looked shyly at her and thought of how to ask her for the founders' ball. A month didn't even pass, since Katherine came to the town, he already fell in love with Katherine Pierce. He wanted to confess it in a perfect moment, and he felt that founders' ball could be this exact occasion for this.
"How long will you let Miss Katherine wait for you to invite her for the founders' ball?" Stefan heard the familiar voice. He turned around and saw his brother, Damon.
"Damon, it's great to see you, brother. Did they extend your leave?" he asked, before he hugged his brother. There were shades of light pink on his cheeks, though.
"Yes they did. I will be here for two weeks to take care of my little brother," Damon responded.
"I can perfectly take care of myself, but it's still great to have you here." Stefan smiled, though he was little annoyed that Damon still treated him as a child.
"Well, when will you answer Damon's question?" Katherine asked.
Stefan got his courage up and asked her, "Will you go with me to the founders' ball, Miss Katherine?"
"It would be my pleasure," she replied.
"Soon, I will hear the wedding bells." Damon joked.
"Please don't listen to my brother." Stefan hated when Damon was teasing him.
"Damon's just jealous that you have a girl to go with to the founders' ball, while he doesn't."
"Miss Katherine, you're not the only girl in this town, and I guess I should go to find one who will be willing to go with me to the ball." Damon's smile still remained on his lips.
After Damon had left, Stefan said, "I hope my brother didn't offend you in any way."
"Not, at all," she said.
Katherine's eyes shined with happiness and pride. "You and I, together dancing at the ball, it would be the unforgettable night." The smile appeared on Stefan's face.
"I'm so glad that Pearl told me about this place, otherwise I wouldn't meet you," Katherine murmured.
He also was extremely happy that Katherine came to Mystic Falls. In addition, he was proud that Katherine took interest in him and perhaps saw something more in him than the house's owner's son who kept her company and entertain her, as well.
Stefan also knew that his father would definitely approve his relationship with Katherine as he once said, despite her tragedy; she knows how to behave as a true lady.
Damon was also happy for his brother and encouraged him to make a move, before he left Mystic Falls to fight in the Civil War. He told him to be careful, though; because Katherine could easily wrap him around her little finger.
Stefan felt that it was too late for this, because he was ready to do everything for Katherine. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful woman with a kind heart. Of course, she had the flaws, as well, as every human being. She could be selfish, impulsive and impatient, too. Katherine definitely liked things to be done in her way. However, Stefan never could refuse anything to Katherine. He loved her too much.
Present, Mystic Falls
Elena peeked at Stefan who was sitting next to her in the car, having his hands on the steering wheel.
She just found out that Stefan Salvatore, a new student in her school and her new friend was a vampire. The first proof was that his face had changed in unexplained way. He also never grew old and never got hurt.
When, two football players got into the fight, one from their team and the other from the opposite one, Stefan got into the middle, while he tried to stop it. Elena was sure that the piece of the glass hurt his hand, but there was no blood on it.
However, the irrefutable proof was when he ran towards her in the fast-speed. At that time, she was very terrified and wanted to be as far away from him as possible. She still was afraid, though. However, her fear decreased a little bit, when Stefan assured her that he wouldn't hurt her and informed her that he wasn't the one who killed those people and hurt Caroline. It was Damon Salvatore, his brother.
Elena was charmed at first by Stefan as he seemed to understand perfectly of what she was going through. She found the little bit of the happiness, because of Stefan.
However, she was disappointed when Stefan gave her to understand that he didn't want to be more than a friend with her. She wasn't that kind of girl, who fell in love from the first sight, but there was something about Stefan that made her enjoy her life, again, what she seemed to forget, since her parents had died.
She was impressed by the necklace that Stefan gave her, though he told her not to take in a wrong way, since this necklace was only a sign of the gratitude of her being a friend to him.
Elena didn't want the necklace, at first, but when he insisted, she couldn't refuse. Caroline still saw this as a hint of Stefan liking Elena in a romantic way, though. However, Elena knew that it wasn't the case for Stefan. When he gave you the necklace saying that he wanted to be just friends, he meant it and there wasn't any hidden meaning behind this.
She guessed that the reason was Katherine, Stefan's girlfriend, who had died in the fire. She talked about her with Damon. Elena wanted to convince Bonnie that Stefan could be trusted, so she invited both of them to her house and soon Caroline and Damon joined in, though Stefan seemed not to like Damon being in her house.
After, Damon saved one of her glasses from being shatter, she asked him about Katherine. Stefan seemed to always avoid this topic.
"She was a beauty in every man's eyes including mine, but she had her eyes on Stefan."
"And you weren't happy, because it wasn't you, whom she liked, right?" Elena guessed.
"Wrong. I was happy for my brother. Katherine was a beautiful woman, actually a lot like you, but she was very selfish and unfortunately, she infected my brother with her selfishness." There was bitterness in his voice.
"I don't know what happened between you and Stefan, but what I know that Stefan is not selfish. He cares about others and he lost his girlfriend in the fire and maybe you should be more understandable for your brother." Elena defended Stefan.
"You're right, you don't know what happened between Stefan and me."
When, Elena was about to say something, Bonnie came in to help Elena to dry the dishes.
Elena asked Stefan about Damon's aversion towards him and Katherine during the annual founders' party. She figured that if Stefan could give her the necklace with no romantic intentions, then she could invite him to the party. Of course, Caroline had to make the comment about them being a couple.
Elena loved Caroline, but she could be irritable, sometimes. However, Elena hated herself that she didn't notice that Caroline was hurt by Damon, before. It occurred to her now that Caroline could die. Just thinking about this terrified her.
Stefan pulled over the car. Elena got off from the car, but there wasn't anything around.
"Why are we middle of nowhere?" she asked.
"This nowhere used to be my home."
Elena's eyes widened and she sighed. She had so many questions to ask.
"How long have you been a vampire and how did you become one?"
"I was turned in 1864 when I was seventeen years old, and it was Katherine who turned me."
"You've been a vampire for 145 years, it's so unlikely, but did you want it, become a vampire?" Elena asked.
"Yes, I did. I'm not denying, when Katherine told me the truth about herself, I was terrified, the same like you."
1864
"I could love you for the eternity." Stefan was kissing passionately Katherine in his room.
Katherine moved away from Stefan and looked into his eyes.
"Do you mean it?"
"Of course, I do." Stefan was surprised by Katherine's question. He didn't see the world without her.
"Well then, I guess, this is a perfect moment for me to reveal my secret, I'm a vampire," Katherine said.
Stefan was stunned by what he just heard. Katherine a vampire? He actually heard the rumours about the vampires being responsible for the deaths that occurred recently. Stefan couldn't believe that it was the vampires' doing, but he heard his father's conversation with other members of the town council about vampires attacking the inhabitants, and his father wasn't the kind of person that would joke about something frivolous like vampires being real.
"You're funny, Katherine." He took a step back, though.
Katherine ran towards the end of the room. However, it was so fast that Stefan didn't even blink.
"If that's not enough proof for you then, I'll show you my vampire side to you." Katherine's eyes darkened and when she opened her mouth, Stefan saw her teeth being longer and he realized that those were fangs.
Stefan felt as his body was shaking and he took another steps back.
"You, your face looks like a demon." Stefan glanced at her, terrified. Katherine had changed her face back into normal.
"It's not nice to say things like that to a lady, Stefan." Katherine felt offended.
"These all dead people, was it you?" Stefan felt the door handle on his back and instinctively he grabbed.
Katherine, who noticed it, quickly approached to him and moved him to the other side of the room.
"How did you do it?" Stefan asked shocked.
"As a vampire, I have special abilities and these include: fast-speed and super-strength and more."
"Leave me alone, go away from me!" Stefan tried to release himself from Katherine, but without any effect.
"Don't be afraid of me. I won't hurt you." Katherine let go of Stefan.
"How can I not be afraid? You are a vampire! You killed all these people. You're a monster!"
Katherine's face fell.
"A monster, huh? So, I guess that you don't love me anymore." Katherine concluded.
Stefan looked on the floor with no answer coming from his mouth.
Katherine's corners of her upper lips slightly went up and then she said, "I admit it that I killed some of the inhabitants, but not all of them. There are more vampires besides me in Mystic Falls."
"More vampires? Have you turned people into vampires?" Stefan asked. He still was frightened and was glad that Katherine had decided not to keep the face of a demon, while she talked to him. However, he wanted to get the answers. He only hoped that he wouldn't be killed in meanwhile.
"I've turned some of the vampires and some Anna has," Katherine answered.
"Anna? You mean her and her mother?"
"Yes, they both are vampires. Pearl and I have been friends for almost three centuries. We have been often travelling together. She sometimes wanted to visit different place and so do I, though, so our ways sometimes were separated. However I met her, again few months ago, and she encouraged me to come to this little town."
Stefan was shocked, three centuries? However, he knew that Katherine was telling the truth, there was no reason for her to lie, but people being killed and turned into vampires, as well, it was just too much.
"How can you talk about killing innocent people without any remorse and turn people into vampires, and how can you walk during a day?" It just occurred to Stefan that the sun didn't have any effect on Katherine.
"This pendant protects me from the sunlight. Emily made me for me. She's a witch." Katherine turned the pendant between her fingers.
Vampires, witches, and what else? Werewolves?
Katherine seeing that Stefan wasn't going to say anything, she continued, "I know that for you killing innocent people is something disgusting, but that what we vampires do. We hunt and we kill, but it doesn't mean that we don't feel anything, otherwise I wouldn't fall in love with you."
Stefan looked at her surprised. He saw the sincerity in Katherine's eyes, but there were things that still bothered him.
"But still these people."
"I have been killing many people, but it wasn't always the case. I sometimes just fed on people and compelled them, so they wouldn't remember it," Katherine said.
"Compel? Wait, have you been compelling me, as well?" Stefan asked. He just realized that maybe Katherine was compelling him to have the control over him.
"No, I haven't. Well, maybe once, so I would win one of those games that we played together." Katherine smirked.
Somehow, Stefan felt that Katherine wasn't serious.
"But aren't you feeling anything, when you kill?" Stefan asked.
"Of course, I do, every vampire does, but if the remorse is too big to carry it, then a vampire can switch off their humanity. I met vampires with no humanity, but trust me, every vampire, who turns off their humanity, sooner or later; they switch it back," Katherine explained.
"Have you ever turned off your humanity?" Stefan looked curious at Katherine. He couldn't imagine her emotionless.
"No, I didn't. There were times, when I was close to, but every time, when I did, I reminded myself of this one person and everything just seemed better." Small smile appeared on Katherine's face. Stefan thought that Katherine looked so innocent at that moment, but he couldn't forget of what she was.
"What are you going to do?" Katherine asked.
"I don't know." Stefan could run away, if Katherine wouldn't stand in his way, of course and shout to everyone that Katherine Pierce was a vampire and there were more vampires, as well in Mystic Falls. However, something stopped him. There was part inside of him that told him that Katherine wasn't fully a demon.
He still loved her and wanted to be with her, but what was the point? She was a vampire for the centuries and she would never age and die, while he was a human who was getting older by every day and would die, at some point.
Stefan just thought that he wouldn't mind to become a vampire and spend the eternity with Katherine, but would he be able to kill innocent people?
"I think, it would be the best if you would leave town with all the vampires as soon as possible." It would be hard for Stefan to let go of Katherine, but it would be for the best, but why he felt as he was making the mistake.
"Do you want me to leave?" Her glance was penetrating.
"No, I mean, I love you, but you're a vampire and I'm human."
"Then, become a vampire with me," Katherine suggested.
"I cannot. I wouldn't be able to handle of being a vampire and besides, I'm still afraid of you." Stefan still felt fear towards Katherine. How he could feel completely safe around the woman, who had killed countless times.
"We both know that your love to me is greater than your fear, otherwise you would shout to the whole house about me and I believe you would perfectly handle of being a vampire. Being a vampire doesn't make you a bad person. You're still the same person as you were as a human. Your emotions are only heightened and, sometimes you're not able to control them, but in the end of day you learn how to take control over them."
"Can a vampire live without killing people?" There was hope in Stefan's voice.
"Unfortunately, I didn't hear about a vampire, who didn't kill, at least once. Blood lust is a powerful thing. When you around it, it's hard to resist it, but I met vampires who learned to control their blood lust, and I can help you with it." Katherine grabbed Stefan's hand. He didn't let it go.
"I need to think through it. I promise, I won't tell anyone about you," Stefan said.
Katherine put the small kiss on Stefan's lips and when she was about to leave, Stefan asked her, "Who's this person that made you feel better?"
"Someone, who was very special to me."
Present
"You agreed to become a vampire, right?" Elena guessed.
"Yes, I did. I loved Katherine too much to let her go. My only concern was that I would have to kill, but the thought that I wouldn't need to do it all the time, calmed me down."
"Did you keep a promise to her and didn't tell anyone about her being a vampire?"
Stefan touched the stone and sighed heavily.
"No, I didn't. After, when I told her that I want her to turn me into a vampire and she happily responded that she will in the right time, I went to my brother and told him about this. It was a day before Damon's leave finished."
1864
Damon looked at his brother as he lost his mind.
"Tell me, you're not serious. Tell me that you don't want to become a vampire?"
"I know that it sounds insane, but I love Katherine and I want to be with her forever. Besides, I can learn how to live without killing." Stefan tried to assure his brother that he would be all right.
"Learn how not to kill?" Damon chuckled. "You shouldn't learn how to do it. I saw the dead bodies attacked by vampires and trust me, it wasn't a pleasant view."
"I know that there will be consequences, but I know, I can handle them." Stefan stopped there for a moment, when the idea appeared in his head.
"Become a vampire as well. Just think about the things that we can do together, when we'll have the whole time." Stefan would be even happier, if Damon would decide to stay with him for the eternity.
"Are you crazy? I won't become a vampire and you surely won't, either." Damon didn't share the same opinion.
"Where are you going?" Stefan asked when he saw Damon going towards the door.
"Talk with Katherine and don't even try to stop me."
Present
"I was very nervous back then, but I didn't run after Damon. I just waited and after few hours, Damon came back to me and apologized and said that he was fine with me being a vampire."
Elena realized something. "Wasn't it Katherine, who compelled him to be okay with it? I mean, it's so unusual for a person to be against something, so much and then agree on it."
"You may be right and Katherine used compulsion on Damon, but I didn't think about it, then. I was just happy that Damon was all right with my decision, though if Katherine used the compulsion, then it means that Damon remembers it now."
"How come?" Elena asked.
"When a human became a vampire, then every erased memory by a vampire comes back."
Elena thought that maybe this was the reason; Damon had reluctance towards Katherine and Stefan. Katherine could compel Damon not to go against her and Stefan, and since Katherine was dead now, he was holding grudge against Stefan.
"Was it Katherine, who compelled him into becoming a vampire?" It would make sense. Katherine compelled Damon to become a vampire and then Damon remembered it and hated both Stefan and Katherine for it.
Stefan didn't respond. He looked away, instead.
"Please, I want you not to tell anyone about vampires."
Elena honestly doubted that anyone would believe her, but it still wasn't right. People were killed and her best friend was hurt.
"I cannot promise anything, and how I actually don't know that you don't using compulsion on me?" Elena was afraid that Stefan compelled her to come here and he was going to ask her things that she would never do.
"Your pendant, it has vervain inside. It prevents vampires from the compulsion as long as you have it either on you or in you. I will deliver vervain soon to the town's council. My uncle Zach was going to do it, but he was unfortunately killed by Damon."
Elena felt sorry for Stefan. She saw how sad he was about his uncle's death. However, there was something that brought attention to her.
"Is the town's council knows about vampires?"
"Yes, the first town's council knew about vampires and it passed to the next generations," he answered.
It was so unlikely. Her parents were members of the town's council. What would they thought of their daughter, if they found out that she was hanging out with a vampire.
"Please, I promise you, I will leave this town as soon as possible and Damon with me, just give me time. It went very bad, last time, when the town's council found out about vampires. They burnt twenty-seven of them including Katherine."
Elena saw how Stefan was hurt by Katherine's death. However, he and Damon still shouldn't be here.
"I'm really sorry about Katherine, but I cannot promise you anything. I know you wouldn't hurt me, but this all is just too much, so I think that until you leave, you should just stay away from me and please make sure that Damon won't hurt Caroline again."
Stefan picked up the small bundle and he took out the ring from it.
"Is it Damon's?"
"Yes and I need to give it back to him."
"No, don't do it." Damon without daylight ring was less harmful and it was definitely better to keep this way.
"I cannot do it. Damon will avenge on me by killing innocent people and mostly by hurting you." Elena noticed the fear in Stefan's eyes.
"Is it because I'm your friend, right?." Elena didn't see any other reason for Damon to hurt her, though he probably didn't need any reason, at all, to hurt her.
"It's one of the reasons."
Elena looked curious at him. Did Stefan imply that there were more reasons?
"Like I said, I need more time and then I promise, Damon and I will vanish from your life," Stefan said.
Elena still wasn't sure about this, but she agreed, "All right, I will give you one day. You will deal with Damon, give the vervain to the town's council and then you and Damon will leave."
"All right, we will."
Elena gave him a small smile and then they both went towards the car.