I woke up to a pounding on my door, and almost fell out of my tiny bed. Sometimes I wondered why I didn't buy a queen-sized bed. Probably cause I was broke. It was finally the weekend, and I was looking forward to having a leisure day full of relaxation.

I dragged my feet across the cold floor and opened the door to see an indignant Matt standing at the doorstep.

"Did you know?" he yelled, his body in an extremely angry stance. "Did you know that all my friends around me are some kind of freak!? A monster!?"

"So Caroline let you remember," I whispered under my breath. "That's a good start."

"Don't talk about Caroline to me," he hissed, marching in and slamming the door behind him. "I'm talking to you right now. Since no one else will tell me anything. You're one of my best friends remember? That should count for something."

"Matt please," I said calmly, trying not to increase his anger. "Sit down and I'll tell you anything you need to know."

But he just kept pacing around my room. "I mean, how could you keep this from me huh? How could you! All those times you cancelled our study sessions or were hanging out with your new friends, you LIED to me!"

"Matt, I know you're angry. Trust me, if I was in your position, I would be as well. But please just calm down and ask me anything!"

"What are you?" he asked abruptly, stopping his movement and glaring at me. "A bloodsucker? A mangy dog? A crazy witch?"

"I-I don't know," I stuttered, seeming to grasp how disgusted he was by the supernatural. "Matt, just because we're not human, doesn't mean we don't feel like you. We have feelings, emotions, human ones!"

"I don't even know who anyone is anymore," he whispered, his eyes wild as he tugged the roots of his short blonde hair. "I can't trust anyone, can't talk to them, I'm all alone in this Kaitlyn!"

"Look, I don't know if this gives you any reassurance, but I was in the same boat a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know what I was, I still don't actually. And I certainly didn't know there were supernaturals like me. Just give it time, and it will become your new normal."

"I don't want it to be normal!" he yelled, and I jumped at the sudden noise. "Why can't you understand that? Why can't you just, UGH!"

He let out a sound of frustration and heatedly stampeded to the desk, where he promptly slid all the objects on top off, a clattering noise filling the room. He picked up a textbook and threw it with full force at the wall.

"MATT!" I yelled, running to him and tugging his arm. "STOP!"

He turned towards me in a blind rage, putting his hands on my shoulders in a vice grip and my legs quivered under the pressure.

"I'm all alone in this," he repeated, his eyes bulging. "How am I supposed to live my life after this huh?"

"Caroline can make you forget," I choked. "If that's what you really want."

"Shut up!" he yelled. "Just shut up! I need to think."

"Matt, please step away," I told him, squeezing my eyes shut in pain as he dug his fingernails in. "You're hurting me."

"Hey Lynie, I just wanted to say that–" the door opened and Katherine walked in, pausing when she took in the scenario.

In a flash, she threw Matt off of me, and he hit his head on the desk, slumping to the floor unconscious. She then rushed towards me and clutched my cheeks, analysing for any damage.

"Did he hurt you? Are you okay? What was he even doing here? Do you want me to torture him?"

"No, I'm okay Kat. I'm okay," I breathed in and out. "I've never seen him that angry before."

"That son of a...," she hissed under her breath, stopping when she saw my scolding glimpse.

"What did you want to tell me when you came in?" I asked, grateful that I could think of a change in the subject.

"I'm sticking around," she said cheerfully, probably expecting applause or at least a happy reaction.

But all I could say was, "What? But it's too dangerous. What happened to going to Australia? I thought you wanted to run?"

"I know, but that was yesterday. I've changed my mind. I still have a few manners to take care of," she didn't quite look at me, giving me the impression that she was hiding things.

"Katherine, the last time you," I made air quotes with my hands. "took care of a few manners, you killed Caroline."

"I promise I will not touch Caroline."

"Then why are you staying?"

"I have faith in your plan to kill Klaus."

"Really?" I sent her an indignant look. "Because you weren't so sure of that earlier..."

"Kaitlyn, please, stop asking questions."

"Katherine, I won't let you hurt my friends," I practically growled, a newfound determination burning in me.

She glared at me, before walking out, her heels clicking pointedly on the floor.

∆ ∆ ∆

"She just walked into your house?" Caroline asked Elena indignantly as we walked to the car park from school.

"Yeah, John invited her in. I don't even want to talk about Isobel right now" Elena spat angrily. "Hello, earth to Kaitlyn?"

I blinked rapidly, shaking myself out of my thoughts. "Sorry, I was distracted. Katherine and I had a fight."

"Kaitlyn, I'm telling you this as a friend," Elena began, taking on a kind tone. "But maybe that's for the best. She was probably just going to stab you in the back eventually. It's better to know now."

"What on earth are you talking about?" I spun towards Elena. "I never said Kat and I stopped being friends. She's been by my side for years. And since when do I take advice from you?"

"Elena's just trying to help," Bonnie sighed. "Honestly, you guys need to resolve your issues."

"Whatever," I muttered, walking faster away from them and towards the direction of my apartment. "I'm not dealing with this right now."

"Kaitlyn wait!" Caroline yelled, and I let her catch up with me. "I'm sorry they make you feel like this."

"Honestly, I feel like the jerk in the group," I admitted. "I wish Elena and I could just get along. It would make everything a whole lot easier."

As we walked, we passed an extremely wealthy house, and I spied a familiar brunette sauntering out. I narrowed my eyes angrily, as I saw Katherine leaving the house and saying bye to another unfamiliar brunette.

"Is that Isobel?" Caroline asked. "Wow, the nerve."

"What is Katherine doing with her?" I whispered under my breath.

I marched towards her, ready to talk, but Katherine had whooshed away, not knowing that I was nearby.

"I'm talking to Isobel," I growled.

"What?" Caroline spluttered. "That's too dangerous Kaitlyn! Wow, I see you're already walking. FINE! I'll come with you if you insist."

I kicked open the door and stomped in, Isobel turning around in surprise.

"Um, who are you?" she asked snottily and then recognising Caroline behind me.

"Kaitlyn," I spat. "You and I need to talk."

"Kaitlyn Paige," she whistled. "Liam told me all about you."

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. Next to me, Caroline furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Who's Liam?" she asked curiously, looking at me for an answer.

"Oh, Kaitlyn didn't tell you? She has a brother, who's still alive by the way. I guess you guys aren't as close as I thought."

"So she has a brother," Caroline droned, not looking at me. "Why would that matter?"

"Oh nothing," Isobel chuckled. "He wouldn't want me to reveal his plans."

"How do you know him? Why would you help him?" I hissed fiercely, stepping near her in a threatening stance.

"Oh, I don't care about his plans. In fact, I'm against them, since Elena might get hurt in the crossfire. I'm just protecting myself, hoping that maybe I can ruin them. You know what they say about sleeping with the enemy. He's extremely good in bed by the way."

I gagged dramatically. "You're having sex with my brother? God, your standards are low. Caroline, let's get out of here."

"Don't you want to know what Katherine's doing here?" Isobel called after us, unfortunately catching my attention again. "She's a vengeful one. Always plotting."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, placing a hand on my hips.

"You should watch out for your Salvatore boys, they may get hurt," she smiled sadistically. "Katherine won't mind betraying them again you know, just like she won't care if you die either."

"She said that?" my voice hitched.

Why was believing what she was saying? Katherine wouldn't let me get hurt, would she? But I remembered the cold look in her eyes that morning, the fierce desire burning in her gut. She would do anything to survive. Even if it meant killing me.

"Rot in hell," Caroline snarled, grabbing my arm and leading me out of the house.

"I'm fine Caroline," I sighed before she could ask me. "She didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know. Oh, well except that she's sleeping with my brother. That was disgusting."

"Yeah, we need to talk about that," Caroline said sternly. "Why wouldn't you tell me? I tell you everything Katie, you can trust me."

"I know Caroline, and I do," I tried to stop my voice from wavering. "Liam... he... he just has a way of knowing exactly how to hurt me. The less you know about him, the safer you are."

"Is he in Mystic Falls right now?"

"No, he's with Tyler and Jules. I have no idea when they're coming back. But I'm sure they will eventually."

"Tyler," Caroline repeated angrily.

"I just need to be alone right now okay? I need to process all the ways my brother plans to kill me."

"Kaitlyn, I–" she began, but I was already walking away.

Any conversation to do with my brother always put me in a terrible mood. I couldn't think of his name without recalling all the childhood memories I had with him. And it wasn't exactly a nice trip down memory lane. He would mostly use his words to hurt me, and rarely ever got too violent. I had learned to cover up the emotional scars I had from him.

It was 1864 when he got violent. Mother was horribly ill, and he was always creeping in and out of her room with that sword of his. The same sword that I found in the trailer. Back then, I thought he used it to pray or something. My mind was too innocent to even fathom his sinister ways. But I knew better now.

I needed to find Katherine. And tell her not to make any plans with Isobel. She would be the one to get hurt, especially if Liam was involved.

I went to my apartment and tried to see if Katherine was there.

She wasn't.

Then I decided to spy on Isobel. If I couldn't find Kat, then I could try and look out for her instead. I walked back to Isobel's house, desperately wishing I owned a car. Peering through the windows, I saw that no one was there.

Then I spotted Katherine, who was on the phone. She was shrugging off her jacket and was smirking. I almost hadn't recognised her because she had straightened her air. Like she was impersonating Elena.

I clenched my fists and started walking closer to the house when I noticed an unfamiliar man in black march up the steps and kick open the door. I ran after him, just in time to see him melting Katherine's brain cells with his hand, as she crumpled to the floor.

I grabbed an umbrella from the foyer, and smacked the back of his head, earning an enraged grunt from him as he turned around.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I yelled, smacking the umbrella against his nose as well.

He muttered a nasty swear word at me, lunging for me and grabbing my hair. I screamed as he pulled at the roots. He grabbed the umbrella from my trembling hands and pushed me backwards.

"Kaitlyn Paige," he mused. "Your brother failed to mention how violent you are. I believe he told me that you were a pathetic and weak excuse for a girl."

He thrust his hand out and twisted it in the air. For a split second, I looked at him in confusion, then yelled as a burning pressure grew beneath my eyes. My brain felt like it would explode, and every nerve in my body was sizzling. Then he motioning his hand in a fist, and my eyes rolled back as my skull connected with the granite floor.

1906 Flashback

Chicago was nice this time of year. It was bright, the parties never-ending, the ladies never stopping to dance. This was my favourite place to come back to every few decades, well except for Mystic Falls. But I wouldn't go there for a long time.

I was walking to the bar to meet one of my old friends, Angie, but when I got there, she wasn't there yet. And so I sat at the bar in boredom, swirling a scotch in my hand that I ordered. I sipped it quietly, not noticing the strange numbness that tingled up my tongue.

She had stood me up. She was probably at that strange secretive doctor job she was always raving about. She was always gone, working there, and she would never tell me where it was, what she was doing, and why she was always working. It was called Augustine or something. That was the only thing I knew about it.

I also didn't notice the man in a top hat sitting in a corner booth, watching me carefully as I sipped my drink. I didn't notice him following me outside as I tipsily stumbled out the door. I didn't remember drinking more than one glass, but a strange nauseating numbness was spreading throughout my body.

I staggered into an abandoned alley, thinking I was going to puke. But before I had the chance to bend over and release my guts, a syringe plunged into my neck, and my eyes widened.

I flapped my hands behind me, desperate to push my attacker off. But with the combination of the syringe, and the sedating feeling in my body, my legs gave away, and I crumpled to the pavement. I realised my drink was drugged, and that this was all planned!

I hoped Angie wasn't hurt either, maybe she had come late?

I faded into unconsciousness as the sedative kicked in.

When I woke up, I was in a dark and grimy cell, and my eyes struggled to take in my surroundings. It seemed as if there were other cells next to me, full of groaning men and women.

Just then, a door opened at the very end of the hallway, and a worker dragged a bleeding man out. I ran to the bars on my cell, inching to see what was happening.

"Hey you, get back," the worker growled, throwing the man into the cell next to me.

I glimpsed the company name on his uniform, and my eyes widened as I read the name.

Augustine.

End of Flashback

When I came to, I saw that my arms and legs were strapped to a chair, and for an alarming minute, I thought I was back in that cell.

Then my eyes adjusted to the dim light, and I saw Katherine next to me, strapped to her own chair, her wild eyes darting around the room.

"Lynie! Are you okay?" she whispered harshly to me.

"I.." I stuttered. "What's happening? What have you gotten yourself into?!"

Just then a familiar man walked out of the bathroom, smirking to himself. It was Alaric. But his hair was standing up in a strange hairstyle, and he was walking with a confidence that I had never seen in him before.

"Ric?" I asked hesitantly, but he ignored me, walking straight to Katherine.

"What did you do to him?" Katherine asked the witch who I hadn't noticed before.

She had evidently been awake longer than me because it seemed that she saw what happened to Alaric.

He smiled simperingly at the brunette in front of him.

"Zdravei, Katerina."

∆ ∆ ∆