The Last Petrova

Diabolical Plan

 Katherine then looks up at Stefan. "Maybe you do need my help, after all," Katherine says with a malicious smile. "I've been thinking about your diabolical plan," Katherine says, walking over to Stefan and putting her arms around him. Stefan pushes her away. "Oh, do tell," Stefan says sarcastically.

"Well, you must know that Klaus is too paranoid to ever fully trust you. But the sister, she loves you like it was yesterday. She's the easier mark. But you can't just pretend to care, because Klaus will know better, so you do the opposite. You bond with him, make her feel left out. That will only make her want you more," Katherine says.

"Oh! So you mean, I'm, uh, I'm taking a page out of the Katherine Pierce playbook," Stefan says, as he picks Gloria's body up from the ground.

"The only question is why, Stefan? I mean, I get it, you want to keep Klaus away from Mystic Falls, but... What else do you expect to get from it?" Katherine wonders out loud.

"You know what's funny?" Stefan says, turning towards her, "You keep talking to me like I actually trust you enough to tell you anything."

Katherine rolls her eyes. "Oh, come on, Stefan, we're beyond that. I saved you from Hilda the high voodoo priestess," she says jutting her chin at Gloria.

Stefan hesitates. "Okay. I knew them, back in the twenties. They were running from someone. Someone who scared them," he says. Katherine nods. "A Hunter. I heard stories about him centuries ago," she says.

"Don't you want to know why an Original vampire who can't be killed is afraid of a vampire Hunter?" Stefan asks. "If you're planning on making a move against Klaus... I want in," Katherine says. Stefan nods. "That's good. It's good to want things, Katherine," he says mockingly.

Katherine shakes her head. "Why not ask my great granddaughter about it all? Surely she can tell you something? I hate to admit it, but there are some things she knows more about the Mikaelsons than I," Katherine says.

Stefan hesitates. "I... Don't trust her," Stefan says. I stay hidden in front of the back door as Katherine scoffs. "Don't trust her? Stefan, I don't like her either, but the girl spent four hundred years trying to save Elena. Don't you think-" "Not that," Stefan says.

"I have no doubt she'll try to keep Elena safe, but... Do you honestly think she'll be able to kill Klaus if given the chance?" he asked Katherine. Katherine frowns. "Think, Katherine. She claims she hates Klaus, that Klaus has been keeping her captive this entire time... But she's known the guy for four centuries. And from the memories I have of the 20s, they were acting like lifelong friends," Stefan says.

Katherine nods. "So what do you want me to do? Should I go poking around Mystic Falls, see where Abby Bennett-" "You're kidding, right?" Stefan says, interrupting her.

"Katherine, if I don't trust Helena, what in literal hell makes you think I'm going to trust you?" he demands. "Stefan," Katherine warns. "Katherine," Stefan replies. "I'm in this alone. If you're looking for a diabolical partner in crime, I suggest you look elsewhere," he says, taking Gloria's body across his shoulder and leaving.

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He doesn't trust me. He doesn't think I can kill Klaus.

Is Stefan right? For centuries, I've told myself that I want nothing more than Klaus dead... I shake my head. Stefan is wrong. I'm the one who set Mikael free without hesitation. There's no doubt of whether I want Klaus dead or not. But at the same time...

'And from the memories I have of the 20s, they were acting like lifelong friends,' Stefan's words echo inside my head.

Apart from his siblings, I know Klaus better than anyone in the world. I know he has a softer side to him, and that's the side that eventually got me to see him as a potential friend rather than the person who stole my life away from me. I've known Klaus longer than I've known Kol, Rebekah, or even Elijah. But does that necessarily mean I won't end him if I'm offered the chance?

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"You're back. Finally. Nik went to check on the witch," I hear Rebekah say to Stefan when I arrive back at the warehouse. Once again, I hide within the shadows and begin to eavesdrop. She's sitting across from Stefan, who's staring at Kol's coffin.

"Dreary, isn't it? The family cargo," Rebekah says to Stefan. He nods. "Why don't you undagger them?" he asks. "Because he would hunt me down and kill me. He's a vindictive little bastard, my brother," Rebekah replies.

"But you still care about him. Why?" Stefan asks. 

"Well, I hated him for a long time. It was exhausting," Rebekah says, as if this makes total sense to her.

She sits down on the coffin and Stefan sits next to her.

"You know, when I met you two, you were both on the run," Stefan says.

I freeze. What the hell is he doing? 

"Also exhausting," Rebekah sighs. "Who were you running from?" Stefan presses on. I try to mentally communicate with him to tell him to shut the hell up. He's underestimating Rebekah, like most people who come across her do. A fatal mistake.

"What do you mean?" Rebekah asks. Stefan shrugs. "The last night I saw you, there was a man looking for you. You both seemed afraid. I just... I wouldn't think Klaus would be afraid of anybody," Stefan says.

Rebekah nods. "No one in this world is truly fearless, Stefan. Not even Niklaus," she says. "Who was that man?" Stefan asks. 

That's it. He's done it. There's no going back now. I want to interrupt this conversation and stop him from doing anything more stupid, but that'll just make it look like me and Stefan are on the same side. And we are... In a way.

"I can't. Please," Rebekah says, standing up. "If Nik knew we were talking about this, he would..." she falters.

"No, no, no, I'm sorry," Stefan says, standing up as well.

"Just forget I asked. Okay?" he says. Rebekah sighs. "He told me about the girl you loved. The one that died. He also told me that you're only with him because he saved your brother," she says. "It's true," Stefan replies.

"I think he secretly admires that about you. You'd sacrifice anything for family. Don't tell him I told you that," Rebekah warns with a small smile. "Your secret... Is safe with me," Stefan replies. He starts to turn around but she pulls him close and kisses him.

"Do you think you'll ever love anyone like you loved that girl?" Rebekah asks. Stefan shrugs. "One day, maybe," he answers.

Rebekah's eyes turn cold and icy. " I can always tell when you're lying, Stefan," she says harshly. "What? I'm not-" "Don't bother. Your kiss already gave you away," she says.

I hear the door of the warehouse open behind me, and I scramble out of the way. Klaus stares at me weirdly, then turns his attention towards Rebekah.

"Gloria's gone. She's cleared out. We need to find a new witch immediately," he says. He then stops and stares at Rebekah and Stefan.

"What's going on?" he asks. "Something's wrong," Rebekah says, walking over to Klaus. "He was asking about Mikael. He's not with us, Nik. I can sense it," she insists. 

Stefan immediately stands up. "She's wrong. Klaus-" I stare as Klaus snaps Stefan's neck in two.

I raise my eyebrows, but don't say anything. Klaus points a finger at me. 

"And you. Why were you just hiding there, listening in on their conversation?" he asks. I shrug. 

"I was curious as to what they were going to say... And I wasn't about to jump in while they were talking, either, you know how Rebekah gets when she's interrupted," I say in the most believable tone possible. Fortunately, I've had centuries' worth of time to practice lying, unlike that godforsaken idiot Stefan Salvatore.

"Shove him in the car," Klaus says to me, jutting his head at Stefan's body. "Oh, for the last time, Klaus, stop ordering me around!" I say, throwing my hands up in the air and walking out of the warehouse before he can say anything.

My heart beats against my chest wildly. I've known Klaus long enough to predict what his next move will be.

We're going back to Mystic Falls.