Return to Me

The Next Doppelganger

            It was miraculous that he was even awake, un-daggered, to see his half-brother's dream of freeing himself from the curse their mother placed upon him, come to fruition. He kept himself out of the way as much he could, not quite sure if he wanted to be here or if he wanted to be daggered again.

The young doppelganger caught him by surprise in the library one day, he had holed himself away to read and be alone with his thoughts. The resemblance to Tatianna struck him, but right away he could see something different in the girl, something more human. "Hello." She greeted him shyly, she had a Bulgarian accent he noted and recalled that is where she came from. "Hello." He tried to offer a her a small smile. "I was hoping to find something to read, I hope I won't be intruding if I stay here to do so." She looks up at him, "If you wish to be alone I can find someplace else to read."

How she noticed his habit to be secluded he had no idea, he didn't even think she knew he existed. It was quite kind of her to offer, and he shook his head. "There is more than enough room in this library for the both of us." He tried to smile once more. It must have been a more welcoming smile because she beamed at him before taking a book and a seat in the chair near him. Before cracking open her book she looked back to him, "If you change your mind on having company, please do speak up. It is no trouble to me if I have to find a new place to read. You deserve to feel comfortable in your own home, and I hate to intrude upon you and your privacy." Immediately she turned to her book and began to silently read to herself, not giving him time to respond to her words.

Cracking his own book back open he found himself smiling softly, she was quite kind to him and had already taken notice of his preference for seclusion. He found, he did not mind having her silent company and soon they began to meet in the library on the daily so that they could sit in silence and read together. It was a quiet friendship, and he was sad to know his brother's plans to end the poor, sweet girl's life.

Being one to sit back in the shadows and observe, he found he knew all the secrets of the castle. Niklaus flirted with her, and yet she saw through his pretty words to know he did not care for her one bit. Instead, it was Elijah who cared for Niklaus's new fiancé (sacrifice). He took walks in the gardens and played games with her, her favorite one being a game she called chase. He tried to allow them a sense of privacy in their obvious flirtations, but he could not always block it out. This time the conversation turned quite personal, and he felt bad for listening in, however his curiosity paired with his heightened ability to hear even when he didn't want to, forced their conversation to be less than private.

"You are meant to catch me, Milord!" she chastised with an out of breath giggle.

"Oh, but if I catch you then the game shall be over." He responded evenly, and Finn could picture the smile that would most certainly be gracing his brother's face.

They talked about Niklaus and she lamented that she was to enter a loveless marriage with him. "Many a union is built on much less." He heard Elijah reply factually.

"Is it wrong to want more?" she whispered shyly. "Do you have more with Trevor?" he asked, and Finn winced at the jealous question. She blinked and replied softly, "Trevor believes he loves me, but true love is not real unless it is returned." before raising her voice to ask, "Do you believe in love, Milord?" He could hear Elijah's hair rustle as he moved his head slightly and put a more thoughtful look on his face, but he could also picture her face falling a little in response.

"That is to sad for me to believe milord, for if we do not have love, what would we have to live for?"

He was almost startled to hear Niklaus's horses and realized his brother had heard that portion of the conversation, inwardly he cursed, the poor girl was sure to be ridiculed and mocked for her feelings later.

After supper that evening he found he wasn't surprised when Elijah came to him to ask for his assistance in saving young Katerina. After all, he would have to be a fool not to see how deeply his brother had fallen for the doppelganger.