Madness • The Vampire Diaries [1]

FOUR

|04.| KNOW THY ENEMY

"SO WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME, is that Elena's biological undead mother just showed up on their front doorstep?" Cora connects the dots while walking down the stairs with her brothers.

"Bullseye," Stefan states.

"What's she doing here?" Damon asks, looking at his brother. "I don't know. That's what I'm gonna go find out."

Katherine appears next to the trio and Cora hating the fact that she is still around rolls her eyes for the hundredth time.

"I don't think that you should tell her that I'm here," Katherine states.

"And why not?" Cora crosses her arms over her chest.

"It's better if she and John not know that I stayed in town after I got out of the tomb," Katherine replies.

"You're the one in cahoots with them. You made a deal with John that almost got me killed," Damon brings up.

"I did what I had to get out of the tomb. Now I'm reconsidering my alliance."

Cora and Stefan share a look as Katherine turns away from the trio. "What do you know?"

"I know that I want Klaus dead, which puts me squarely on team you. Besides, if you three ever need me to swap places with Elena again, the less people know that I'm here, the better," Katherine turns back around. "Think about it, Stefan. Come on. Be smart."

"Tell you what. Why don't you, uh call Alaric and let him know that his wife just showed up on his girlfriend's doorstep," Stefan grabs his coat.

"Take me with you," Cora pulls on her own jacket. "I would much rather be with you than hang out with big brother and crazy ex girlfriend."

Katherine rolls her eyes at Cora's statement which makes the Salvatore sister smirk in satisfaction. Stefan slightly shrugs and nods his head for his sister to follow.

Once the two siblings make it to the Gilbert residence, Elena fills them in with what had happened just before they arrived. Cora sits on the girl's bed, observing her room since it is her first time being in it.

"This is bad. Between Isobel and Jenna and now Matt, this is disaster bad," Elena sighs as Stefan sits next to her. "Yeah."

"Matt, as in your human friend Matt?" Cora asks as she messes with some of Elena's jewelry.

Elena nods and huffs at the thought of him. Interrupting the three came John walking inside of the room, earning an annoyed look from Cora.

"Elena, can you come downstairs, please? I need to talk to you," John speaks up.

"I have nothing to say to you," Elena scoffs.

"Please. It's important. You two, as well," John nods towards the Salvatore siblings.