[KATERINA]

set yourself free.

    "ELENA MARIE GILBERT, if I found you down here, then you are dead!" Juliette bellowed as she and Stefan ran down the steps of the Fell's church ruins. This child is going to be the death of me, I swear.

"Elena," Stefan said as they made it to the bottom. The brunette looked shocked as she stared at her sister and ex-boyfriend. Juliette crossed her arms over her chest, an angry look on her face, while Stefan was more concerned.

Wow, thanks, Stef. You said in a car we would both be mad!

"Stefan, Juliette, what are you doing here?" Elena asked, almost too innocently. Elena looked between the two, not daring to look Juliette in the eyes.

Juliette couldn't believe that Elena was down here talking to Katherine; hadn't she realised that Stefan and Damon had risked their lives trying to put her in that blasted tomb? Oh, and she also almost died because of a linking spell!

"I could ask you the same question," Juliette said, raising her brow at her sister, her lips pursed as Elena scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Caroline told you."

"No, she kept your secret, but it didn't take long for me to figure out what was so important that you'd have to keep it from us." Stefan's eyes narrowed, scanning the dimly lit tomb.

"I know that you'd stop me," Elena argued.

"Yes, we would! Why would you even think of coming down here to talk to her?!" Juliette confronted, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. Being the oldest sibling, Juliette always had to make herself seem like the bad guy to Jeremy and Elena; she had to be the one to reprimand them but it was the only way she could protect them.

She didn't like telling her siblings off. She had to step up after her parents died. Jenna was doing an amazing job being a guardian, and Juliette was too. She was their guardian as well.

"Listen to me, whatever she said to you is a lie. Do not listen to her. She's a liar, Elena." Stefan cut in.

"What if she isn't? You both didn't hear what she said." Elena interjected, her voice trembling slightly, a hint of desperation in her eyes.

"You don't have to worry, we're all not going to let anything happen to you, Lena." The blonde said softly, taking a step forward with a reassuring smile. Elena was trying to find something that would help; she's freaking out about this whole Klaus thing.

"That's the problem, you won't, but you'll die trying," Elena replied, her voice breaking as she glanced between Juliette and Stefan, the weight of fear and guilt evident in her eyes.

Juliette's heart broke. She didn't like seeing her sister so worried; no one did.

The sound of feet scuffling made the group turn their attention to Katherine, hobbling towards the light, and showing herself. She looked disgusting, her skin was a grey colour, and her hair looked like a rat's nest. She was still in the same black dress as the night of the masquerade ball.

"Oh, don't you look good?" Juliette cringed at her state. Katherine sent her a glare before turning to look at Stefan.

"There's nothing you can do, Stefan. I haven't even told you the best part of the story."

Katherine began to tell the three a story, Juliette zoned out halfway through it, though. "He killed them, my entire family, just to get back at me for running." The weight of her words hung heavily in the cold, musty air. "Whatever you do to escape Klaus, he will get his vengeance on your friends, your family, and all your loved ones."

"Okay, we get it, Kathwhore, we're trembling in our boots." Juliette sighed, sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

Stefan turned to Elena and grabbed her shoulders. "No, look at me. No, do not listen to her, okay?" He comforted, trying desperately to make Elena not listen.

"Always the protector, but even you realise that she is doomed. There's nothing you can do to stop it unless, of course, you have this." Katherine's voice cut through the tension, a sly grin on her lips as she held up the moonstone, her eyes gleaming with malice.

"What?"

"Oh no, there it is. It's the ultimate lie, isn't it?" Stefan fought, "You spun this whole thing so that we would have to get the stone from you, didn't you?" The vampire asked, anger evident in his voice.

"I didn't spin anything, Stefan; it's the truth."

"No, let me guess, you want to trade that stone for your freedom. you manipulative, psychotic bitch." Stefan spat, his words laced with venom as he glared at Katherine.

Both Elena and Juliette share a look, both equally shocked as Stefan grows more angry.

"My freedom? That's where you are wrong, Stefan. I don't want my freedom because when Klaus shows up to kill us all, and he will, I'll be in the tomb, where no vampire will enter because they can't get out. I'll be the safest psychotic bitch in town."

The three watched as Katherine smirked at all of them before turning away and walking further into the tomb. Leaving them all to stare at her retreating figure.

✧✧✧✧

    JULIETTE, ELENA, AND STEFAN made it home, all in one piece. Elena was quiet the whole ride home, she wouldn't answer any questions coming from Stefan or Juliette.

"Thanks, Stef, see you tomorrow." Juliette waved at the vampire as she opened the front door, relieved to be home after a long day of more supernatural drama.

The vampire gave her a small smile as he mumbled a quick, "Good night, Juliette." Before she shut the door and walked into the kitchen, Jenna was sat on the island eating some ice cream.

"Hey, how was work?" Jenna asked, handing the blonde her spoon as she sat next to her aunt, grumbling as she did so.

"It was fine, i am exhausted, though."

"Me too."

Then the two ate a whole pint of ice cream between them in silence, enjoying each other's presence. Because they were so close in age—only having a two-year age gap—they were much closer than Juliette was with her siblings.

Jenna was always the person Juliette could go to if she was going through something, and she couldn't tell her mother about it. They were each other's support system, no matter what they were doing, they would immediately stop if the other needed help.

They were more like sisters than aunt and niece.

After eating and spending time with Jenna, Juliette made her way upstairs, wanting to get out of her work uniform and have a nice bath before settling into bed with a book.

When she opened her bedroom door, the mark on her arm began to burn once more. It hadn't been bothering her since the night that Elijah died, so why was it now? And why was it not going away?

Juliette shrugged it off and began to take her clothes off, filling up the bath as she pulled her work t-shirt off and settled into the scalding hot water. All her worries seemed to disappear.

After a long and hectic day, Juliette enjoyed taking a long shower or bath just to have a bit of peace. Usually, her days are filled with chaos and supernatural drama, so her mind runs wild about all the different types of things she could do to keep her friends and family safe.

But when she's by herself, her mind seems to shut up and let her have some relaxation.

When Juliette was 13 and had entered her moody teenager phase, she always spent time by herself. She would read, or write in her diary, listen to music, and draw, or she would just lie in bed in complete silence and stare at the ceiling, feeling grateful that everyone in her family knew she needed time to herself sometimes.

Being in the bath for 20 minutes gave Juliette enough time to think about all the things that had been happening over the last few days. Her vivid dreams seemed to be coming true, Elijah and Klaus were real people, and they were the most dangerous vampires in the entire species.

But she couldn't help but think about her silly little dreams, where Elijah wasn't a murderous psychopath, instead, he was gentle and kind. He always made her feel cared for and appreciated.

Juliette always thought that she was so mentally ill that her brain made Elijah just so she could have someone to vent to. But clearly, something else was going on; he shouldn't be a real person.

Juliette shouldn't be having dreams of a man who looked exactly like the original vampire who tried to kidnap her and her sister.

And if Elena doesn't stop putting herself in dangerous situations, Juliette might have to kill her before she gets herself killed. When she was with Katherine today, she found out that doppelgänger blood was used to bind the spell for the curse, ergo, a human doppelgänger's blood is needed to break it. Klaus also needs a witch, wolf and vampire for whatever reason.

So you could Elena's little trip worked out in the end because they have information.

After the blonde got out of the bath, she dried herself and changed into some sweatpants and a jumper before immediately jumping into bed with a book in her hand.

Just as she was about to begin reading, an envelope sitting on her bed caught her eye. Juliette tilted her head slightly to the side, furrowing her brows, as she spotted a small black box with a ribbon around it, right next to it.

What the hell is this?

The blonde opened the letter first, and her eyes scanned the perfectly cursive handwriting;

To my darling Juliette,
I hope this letter finds you well, and that you like the present I got you. It's perfect for you, Juli. I just wanted to inform you that no harm will come to you from my presence in Mystic Falls. I would never do anything that would hurt you, you're too special to me for me to even try.

Though I don't appreciate your friends killing me, I knew you had nothing to do with that, so I forgive you.

I hope to see you soon, my sweet, as I know you have questions for me, and I am ready to answer.

Take care,
Elijah.

Juliette just stared at the letter in complete shock and utter confusion. Her jaw hung open as her eyes scanned over the letter about a million times before she stopped.

WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL.

Elijah was alive. But Juliette couldn't. believe that. She saw Damon stake him in the heart. She saw Elijah desiccate and die, right in front of her. How could this be?

How could he be alive?

And why did he send her a letter?

Juliette placed the letter down and grabbed the box, unwrapping the ribbon. Once she had opened the box, she let out a gasp as she took in the bracelet.

It was a delicate golden bracelet, adorned with crystals, each one looked perfect. And with a lustrous butterfly on each end, tying it all together. 

Juliette sat in her bed and just stared at the letter and bracelet. She was confused and angry. Why was Elijah alive? They all watched him die, so it can't be possible. He can't be dead.

And who does he think he is sending her these things?

How dare he?! After trying to kidnap me and Elena, he decided to send me a present and a letter?! Who does that?

The blonde was way too tired to bother anymore with the madness that is her life, so she decided she would deal with it in the morning.

She placed the letter and bracelet on the desk next to her bed and shut her eyes.

Sleep was definitely way better than all this insanity.

✧✧✧✧

Another chapter bc I'm just cool like that (two ppl commented on my last chapter and it made me really happy)

I understand this might all be very confusing as of right now, but everything will be revealed in a few chapters, I promise!

I'm going to bed it's 4:20 AM

See you in the next chapter!!!

Byeeee

30/05/24