Present Day

Elijah's POV

"You should leave for the night," I tell Jonas, who helped me locate where Elena was today. Needless to say, I was surprised to see Elizabeth there and the look of rage in her eyes could not escape my mind. I could tell she no longer trusted me as she used to, as she shouldn't.

I wanted to kill the love of her life after all, but of course I couldn't let her know that. My brother had become insane and his paranoia made him as rabid as a dog. He always brought up our past quarrels and has alienated me. He killed our family within the past 100 years as I haven't heard from them. Due to this, I knew Klaus had killed them. I was close to all of my siblings, and Klaus has taken all of them from me. He has given me no explanation.

"Is something wrong?" Jonas asked, looking wary.

At this point, I felt sorry for him. Klaus had captured his daughter for his own use. I told him that I would help him get his daughter back, but our time was limited, as the day when Klaus returns for the doppelgänger was approaching. As soon as word got to him about Elena in Mystic Falls, the events of the breaking of the curse would shortly follow. "Do you know of Elizabeth Lockwood?" I ask out of pure curiosity.

Jonas shook his head. "I've heard of the Lockwood family, but I do not know of an Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth Salvatore Lockwood is like family to me and has been such for over 100 years at this point, but much like Klaus, she is a force to be reckoned with. She's always had a soft spot for my brother, and believes she is on my side in this matter, but she does not know our true intentions. She does not know you and you don't know her, I want it to stay that way. I do not want her to find out that we are working together and I do not want her to find out about our true cause. If she knew I wanted Klaus dead, I…I don't know what she would do. So, with that said, I believe you should leave for the night," I tell him. My hands are propped underneath my chin as I sit in the living room chair of the new house.

Without a word, Jonas nodded and left. It wasn't long until I heard a breeze run through the building. Elizabeth had snuck in through a window, like she often did, as if she was always hiding and not wanting to be found. Why she never used the front door, I do not know.

"What the hell was that, Elijah?" she was behind me and her voice was accusatory. "Those men could have led me to Klaus."

I nod. "They could have, but I didn't want them to."

Elizabeth walked in front of me. She looked like a girl of the ages with a tank top and shorts on, all lip gloss and shine. I remembered the days when the majority of her body was covered in clothing, she looked just as beautiful as she did now. But back then, she was quiet and demure. Now, she speaks her mind and is as wild as her hair. I'm not sure which I like more. She threw her arms up in the air. "Why? Elena was willingly offering herself up on a damn silver platter."

"We need to keep Elena safe for now, your brothers are helping with that. I don't want Elena to get in the hands of anyone else except Klaus, and only when he comes to Mystic Falls himself. He should come here on his own accord and not be summoned by one of his pathetic minions. What do you think would have happened if they took Elena, Elizabeth?" my voice was harsher than I meant it to be. I sounded like a father chastising an unruly daughter.

She went still. Elizabeth was no longer shaking with rage, but now as calm as still water. She stood straight. "They could have taken me to Klaus," she said softly.

I shake my head and point my finger at her. "No. They would have killed you, called you collateral damage and would have taken Elena to Klaus themselves. They would have claimed Elena as theirs to sell. All just to get in the good graces of Klaus. You know how he works his tools…"

"Oh please!" she rolled her eyes. "Are you saying you killed those men to protect me? I call bullshit. I could've taken down those tools easy. You have something else planned, Elijah, I just know it. How did you even know where we were, anyways?"

Pushing myself up from my chair, I walk around the room. "How do you know you could've taken down those men, Elizabeth? They could have been centuries older than you."

"I'm stronger than you know, Elijah…" she said, now guarded. I looked up at her curiously, but her eyes did not waver. Her voice had grown soft, as if she was second-guessing herself. Elizabeth's eyes turned cold as she asked, "You want to kill him, don't you?" I give her a confused look, but no words can come out of my mouth. She knew me more than I gave her credit for. "Why else would you want Elena to stay in Mystic Falls and have Klaus retrieve her himself? You want him to be a target to your god damn sniper." She took a step closer to me and I stiffened. "And did you really think dismissing your little warlock friend would relieve this place of his scent? Not to mention, this is the only house for miles, when I saw his car speed down this road I knew he was old company of yours." Her words were sharp and filled with poison. I could tell she was spiteful. She walked towards me and soon we were inches apart. "All I ask is why, Elijah? Why would you want to kill him?"

She was more calm right now than I thought she would be, and smarter than I know. "He's not the same Klaus you fell in love with, Elizabeth. He has changed. Klaus has become paranoid and psychotic in his own endeavors to find the doppelganger and gain power. He has killed all of my siblings, even Rebekah."

Elizabeth didn't even look surprised. "He didn't kill them, he neutralized them with the white oak ash daggers."

"How do you know that?"

"Klaus would never kill any of his siblings, I'm sure of it," she defended him. "That means their bodies are hidden somewhere, in a place only Klaus knows of. If you kill Klaus, you'd never find them."

I smirk. "You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"

She smiled at me, her eyes softening. "I know Klaus, differently than you know him. I know he doesn't like to have weaknesses, but he holds family in the highest regards. Just, please, Elijah, I beg of you, don't kill Klaus. You two have your differences, as brothers often do, but you cannot kill each other over them. If you did, both of your minds will be weighed down from the guilt."

Why was it, whenever she gave me that look, I could not deny her anything. I closed my eyes and sighed. "Fine, I won't kill him, but only for you."

Her arms slid around me in an embrace and her head rested on my chest. "Thank you, Elijah, for not denying me happiness."

Elizabeth's POV

The sun was beginning to rise as I sped back to the Lockwood estate. Tonight was a full moon and I knew Tyler would need help from me. He hasn't asked me about anything as of late and I'm beginning to wonder if he's getting help elsewhere. After pulling in to the driveway, I quickly got out, ran to the back of the house and jumped to the third story window of my room. I budged the window open and slid in. I began to get dressed for the new day with a set of different clothes. I brushed my hair into a high pony tail and tied a striped silk halter-top in a perfect bow at my neck.

When I walked downstairs, it was like the world was alive, but I wasn't. I could hear Carol's shoes clacking down the hall, and I saw Tyler at the bottom of the staircase with a stuffed duffel bag. "Heading out?" Carol asked.

Tyler turned towards her and replied, "Yeah, lunch at the Grill. I've got practice, and we'll probably go out after. I'll be late"

And then the doorbell rang. Tyler opened it on his way out and I heard a familiar voice. "Hi. Sorry, rude, you have no idea who I am."

"Jules?" I ask. All three of them look up at me. "It's been a hot minute since I've last seen you, how are you? Please, come in."

She steps inside, past Tyler and Carol, and looks at me with a nervous smile. "Hey Liz, I'm doing well, how are you?"

"Just splendid." I make my way down the stairs and introduce them. "Carol, Tyler, this is Jules, a friend of mine and Mason's." She was the Alpha of a pack in Florida. Mason joined, but his loyalty remained with me. Jules shook their hands and they exchanged "nice to meet you's".

I walked Jules to the living room alone and invited her to sit on the couch. I poured her a glass of scotch. "Isn't it a bit early?" she asked.

"In Miami it was never early," I stated, remembering some of the drunken days and nights we shared. "Anyways, what brings you to Mystic Falls?" I asked, even though I had an inkling as to why she was here.

Jules looked up at me, "Where's Mason?" she asked bluntly.

I looked at her sadly, "He's dead, Jules."

She shot up from her spot on the couch. "What?! What happened? Why didn't you tell me?"

I put my hands up in the air, "I'm sorry, I didn't think to tell you, I have enough on my plate at the moment. My nephew's first full moon is tonight, ya know?"

"What happened, Liz?" Jules's face became angry.

I handed her the glass of scotch and she snatched it away from me and drank. "I found him dead in the back of his truck. Wolfsbane stuffed down in his throat and his heart ripped out. No one else knows he's dead. I buried him myself and I've been trying to find his killer ever since. Pretty sure it was another supernatural force in town, but there's so many of those running rampant here it's hard to figure out." Damon was going to have to thank me later for not ratting him out, but this lie may be difficult to cover up.

She pulled out her cell phone, "I have to call Brady and tell the others."

"Go ahead," I say nonchalantly, "I need more help."

Jules finished up the scotch, "I guess I'll be on my way then. I'll call Brady, we'll figure this out."

I smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Jules. It means a lot."

When she walked out the front door I sighed with relief. I needed time to think about how I would manage a whole pack of werewolves in town, because that's what I would expect to happen. As long as Jules didn't go around telling the whole town Mason was missing, I would be glad. Now there were two other things I had to worry about for my day. I had to talk to Elena and my brothers about the situation at hand, I needed to visit Katherine in the tomb, and I at the end of the night, I had to help Tyler with his first full moon. It's sure as hell not easy being me, the puppet master, but I try to take it one step at a time.

As I walk to my car, I pull out my phone to see a bunch of missed calls and texts from Elena, Tyler and my brothers. I call Elena, who texted me saying she told my brothers and her friends my fake story. She picked up the phone, "Hello? Liz?"

"Hey Elena. Thank you for sticking to the story, how did Damon react to Rose?" I hopped into my car and started the engine.

"He didn't seem surprised. He said she's been running for hundreds of years. I don't think he'll be missing her…did you talk to Elijah after you left?" I was surprised by the question.

"Um, yeah, actually, I did." I started driving on my way to the Salvatore estate, my old home.

"And?"

"And, he told me that he's trying to pull Klaus in to Mystic Falls. Elijah killed those men because he didn't want them leading you off to Klaus and have the two of you disappear again forever. I agree with him. I want to see Klaus for myself," I told her this with ease. She deserved to know, and if she kept all this to herself, everything would go on smoothly. "When the time comes, you will be sacrificed, but until then, live your life like you normally would. And of course, don't tell my brothers."

"OK," she sighed. "But what about your brothers, my friends and my family? I don't want them to get hurt." And this is where she was different from Katherine. She actually cared about people.

"Elijah has two warlocks on his side, and you have Bonnie. I'm sure all three of them together can help protect those you love," I tell her as I pull into the long winding driveway of the estate. "Now, I have to go and talk to my brothers. Damon is going to be getting in trouble." Before she could question me, I hang up and park my car. I get out and enter the house through Stefan's bedroom window, like I did before. When my feet hit the hardwood floor boards, I look up and Stefan is sitting on his bed with his arms crossed, looking at me.

I put my hands on my hips and looked around the room. At the Chippendale furniture, the exquisite Tudor styled windows, the heavy framed art on the walls, and our father's prized George Washington clock that had been in the family since the early 1800s.

"Like what you see, Elizabeth? Or should I call you Liz now?" he asks me sarcastically.

Shrugging, I begin to make my way out of the room. "I just see that you haven't changed much, Stefan. Still an old soul at heart. And I don't really care what you call me, but if I'm being honest, 'Liz' sounds awkward when it's coming out of your mouth."

Stefan follows me as I make my way downstairs, where I know Damon is most likely having his morning drink. "Oh, Damon," I call out in a sing-song tone, "Someone from Florida is wondering where oh where Mason could've disappeared to."

I find him in the living room, sitting on one of the loveseats looking at the fireplace, and unsurprisingly, twirling a glass of some malt liquor in his hand. He looked at me, then at Stefan, and then back at me. "Oh, yeah? Who?"

"Her name is Jules," I tell him. "Alpha of Mason's pack down in Florida. I told her he's dead, but I just wasn't quite sure who killed him," I say dauntingly as I make my way to the bar cart, and begin pouring myself my second drink of the day. I look back at Damon and shrug, "Just thought I'd mention it."

Damon got up from his spot and started making his way towards me. "I'm honestly surprised you didn't tell her that your mean big brother killed him, but oh wait, she doesn't know you have two vampire brothers, does she? She doesn't know your true identity."

"I mean, she knows I'm a hybrid of sorts, but yes, you're right. She doesn't know that I have two vampire brothers. Are you happy that I warned you, though?" I take a sip of my drink.

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, let me just get down on my knees and thank you for your kindness."

I smirked. "I wouldn't mind it."

"So," Stefan interrupted our little charade, "Elena told us you went to Slater's to find more information about Klaus."

I nodded. "That is correct. As she probably also told you, we didn't find out shit about him or his whereabouts, much to my disappointment. We found Slater, dead, killed by Elijah. Rose got scared and ran off, which doesn't surprise me in the least bit. And in the end, I believe Elena is becoming more thankful for the protection she has found through the both of you."

Stefan furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, when she saw Slater with a stake through his heart and when Rose ran off, she realized the danger she was in. I don't think she's going to go looking for Klaus anymore and get her nose in business that's far too dirty for her. You two have protected her, and I think she'd like to stay in your protection from now on," I explain to them. I wonder sometimes if I talk too much and I give things away, but from the expressions shared on my brother's faces, I think they believed me.

Damon refilled his glass, and I was curious as to how many drinks he already had this morning. "But I'm guessing you're still looking for Klaus?" I nod. "Well, I'm sure you'll be able to pull information from Katherine."

"That's where I was going to head off to next, actually. Can I borrow two things of blood, actually? I'm afraid the Lockwoods don't have a bountiful blood bank like I know you do," I smile at Stefan, who I know out of the two of them would most likely give me what I wanted. As I looked at him now, there was a look in his eye, perhaps of guilt or sadness? Almost like he wanted to owe me the world, but was suppressed by a secret, as if he knew something I did not.

He nodded like a gentleman with his hands behind his back. "Right this way."

Stefan led me down to the musty basement where two huge fridges were stored. He opened one of them and pulled out two Red Cross approved blood packets, ready to be strung up on an IV, but in this case, ready to be devoured by myself and Katherine. Bon appetit.

I took the bags as he offered them to me and smiled at him. "Look at you go! Not caving in for a taste. Looks like you've curbed your appetite. Still feeding off of Thumper and Bambi?"

He smiled at me. "I've learned to control it, for sure. It has taken time, but I can manage it now."

"Good for you. I drink a mix of both, but overall I have it under control as well. I'm glad all of us can control ourselves now, unlike when we were young and starving for more." I begin to walk back up the stairs. "Why is Katherine still locked in the tomb anyways? If you really want Elena to be safe I could just give Katherine the moonstone and she could run off with it. Then we would be back at phase one and Klaus would have to go searching for Katherine again and not come back to Mystic Falls until he needs her."

Stefan laughed, "But that's the thing, Elizabeth. You want Klaus to come to Mystic Falls. You want to see him again, and if we let Katherine out of the tomb, she'd only barter you for the Moonstone again and be on the run. You don't want that."

I shrugged. "Maybe, but I know the main reason you don't want Katherine out of that tomb is because you're afraid she'll hurt Elena…or maybe that you'll fall in love with her all over again."

We got back to the first floor and the sun shined down on us from the tall Tudor-styled windows. "I don't think that's possible…anyways, do you intend on going to the tomb alone?"

"Yes," I say bluntly. "I don't need Katherine to have any distractions when we're discussing business."

I started walking to the front door to head out, when Damon came out of the living room to the front foyer. "Leaving so soon?"

"I work quickly," I tell him. "I told you what I needed to tell you and took what I needed to get the information I need."

"Where are you going? To help your nephew out with the full moon tonight?" he probed me.

I shake my head, "It's still daylight. I have time to get other things done…he'll understand."

"You might not have to worry. Blondie is taking care of him," he said, holding up his phone, suggesting he's texting the blonde vampire, Caroline.

I roll my eyes. "So be it. If she wants to die from a werewolf bite, that's her own choice. I'll still check up on him nonetheless."

When I got into my car I set the bags of blood in the passenger seat and begin to drive. I'm thankful that I decided to purchase a Jeep, due to the off-roading I have to do to get to the ruins of Fell's Church. The Fell's were probably the most involved in the founding of Mystic Falls, and Honoria Fell , founded Fell's Church. She was the towns dressmaker and, of course, part of the Town Council. She had frizzy dark brown hair and was very impulsive. I remember she used to bring in loads of vervain to Pearl's apothecary. She was a witch, but I did not know of this until after I married George, and at that point, the hunt for the supernatural was over. Honoria loved me like a daughter almost, and made sure to design and create the majority of the dresses I owned, so when word came around that I had disappeared, she believed George had killed me, just like the rest of the townspeople had. It was her who commanded her sons to kill George. She was dead, though, and all hatred for her I might have had for her leading the group out to kill George had long passed.

The church did not look much like a church anymore, of course. It stood only in ruins. I parked my car, hopped out with the bags of blood in tow and walked down the stairs to the tomb. As soon as my foot hit the bottom floor, Katherine was at the edge of the entrance of the tomb. "Elizabeth!" she cried, "Please, get me out of here. They've treated me terribly. I don't know how they could do this."

"They're men," I tell her. "When a woman threatens them, the only thing they can think of to do is shut them up."

When Katherine saw that I did not have what I needed to get her out, and when she saw the two blood bags in my hand, she looked up at me and asked, "What do you want from me?"

"Just to have a nice meal together. Catch up. Chit chat. Shoot the shit. Whatever the kids say these days." I sit down in front of the tomb and look at her, still dolled up in her size-2 Dior cocktail dress. Her makeup had worn off and her hair was frizzy. Katherine was looking rough. "And, I brought brunch."

Katherine sat down in front of me. "I don't want to do shit unless it means I can leave this hell hole."

"You'll get out soon enough, but before I give you this nice big bag of blood, I want you to answer me a question." She looked at me, and then glanced down at the bags of blood. "Katherine, I know you're good at exchanges. May I remind you of saving your life for the moonstone?"

She shook her head. "Shoot, give me the question."

"I know you're running from Klaus, and at some point, he's going to make his way here. I'm sure you don't know where he is, correct?" I look at her while I begin opening the small cap on one of the blood bags. Katherine shook her head 'no'. "Figured. Do you know where I can possible find out where he is?"

Katherine's brows furrowed. "Why do you want to find Klaus?"

"You're not the only person who has met up before," I say, I let the cap of the blood bag fall to the ground.

"OK," Katherine started, "If I were you, I would look at Isobel's office. She's Elena's mother. Through her research and obsession, she found me. I'm sure she's heard of Klaus and did research on him. Not sure if she found him, but I'm sure her studies would give you enough hints to get an idea…" From the look on her face, I could tell she was giving me the truth. After all of these years, Katherine was like an open book for me.

I nodded, taking it in, "OK, thank you for the info." I toss her the opened bag of blood to her, not risking getting stuck in the tomb as well. Katherine grabbed it and instead of savoring it, downed the bag within minutes. She was ravenous. I myself opened the other bag and began drinking the steadily. Although the blood was cold and dead, it satisfied me and made me feel warm and alive inside. Blood was a blessed thing.

"Is that it?" Katherine asked, incredulous.

"Yup, pretty much." I smile at her. "I'm going to get you out of here at some point…Elijah tells me he wants to keep you here, so Klaus can see you when he comes to town, but I don't see the point, as it would ruin your lifework of running away from him. Can't ruin that streak, can we?"

"You've been talking to Elijah?" Katherine took a pause from her drinking.

"I've known him and his family for a while now, and if Klaus does come into town, I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you," I said without certainty.

Katherine gave me a skeptical look, "I don't know how you'd manage that, but just make sure you get me out of this place, OK?"

I finished up the blood and stood up from the ground. "You help me, I help you. That's how it works. Now, I have other things to attend to."

Before I headed back up the stairs, Katherine called, "Wait!" I stopped and turned around to look at her. Katherine, her look unguarded, looked up at me from her spot on the floor. "I know we had a rough start, in the beginning of our relationship. I treated you terribly, because you were everything I wasn't: Human. But throughout all my life, all the centuries I've lived, you're the only person I believe I can trust."

I smile down at her. "I'm glad you feel that way, Katherine, as you should."

XXXXX

As the sun was beginning to set, I texted Tyler, asking where he was. I waited 10 minutes for a response, but there was nothing.

Go to the Lockwood cellars, George recommended. I jumped, startled, as this was the first time I've heard from him all day. Without hesitation, I started up my car and began driving to the cellar, which was another off-road experience. When I got there, I saw another parked car. It was a black 2011 Ford Fiesta. I recognized the car, but wasn't sure of where it was from.

I walked down the cellar stairs and I heard a girl say, "Someone's here."

"It's just me, your Aunt Liz," I say light-heartedly, getting into the role of the friendly aunt. For Tyler, I had to act. In the cellar there was Tyler and then I saw Caroline, Sherriff Forbes's daughter. They had set up multiple chains in the room, which Tyler had already cuffed to his wrists and ankles. Beside a lantern in the corner, there was a water bottle that looked like it was filled with piss. I knew better, though, it was vervain infused water. I looked back at Tyler, "You really brought this place back to the slave days, didn't you?"

He shook his head, "Not funny. I'm freaking out over here."

"I could tell by the way you're sweating. Better get used to it, because it's going to last between five to six hours of bone breaking excruciating pain before you actually transform." Tyler looked at me like I was crazy. "What? I'm telling you the truth. But after this first time, the transformations will become easier and less painful."

Caroline shifted uncomfortably. "Aren't you going to be transforming, too?"

I shook my head, "No. I can turn by will at this point." Caroline knew I was a hybrid, but she didn't have to know that due to me being a hybrid, I can transform at will. Most regular werewolves transformed during a full moon, but had more control over their senses after they've shifted. I walk over to the wolfsbane water and pick it up. "I suggest you try drinking this now. Tastes like battery acid, but it will weaken you up a bit, so you're not as likely to kill your vampire girlfriend here."

"We aren't dating," Caroline interrupted.

I roll my eyes. "Teenagers. Always caring about labels." Tyler took the bottle and hesitated before drinking it. He got in a few brave gulps before spitting the rest of it out, like I expected he would. He collapsed to the floor and his body shook. Caroline rushed to comfort him. As being someone related to Tyler, I did not show as much empathy as I should have. I was detached. Other things on my mind as I watched him. It seemed like I wasn't even here. I know I needed to be a more comforting presence, so I tried. I walked over to him before kneeling and rubbing his back, his spine protruding. After over half an hour, Tyler started to convulse, his bones starting to twist and snap in different directions.

Caroline cried as Tyler screamed and panted in pain. I took her arm and pulled her up, "I think it's time we lock this room up." We lock the gate to the cellar and watch from the other side. Tyler's body twisted in an unnatural manner as his bones reshaped and shifted to form a wolf's skeleton, and he screamed out more. It was disgusting to watch as he grew excessive hair and became feral. We could see his irises turn golden-yellow and his sclera turn black as he looked at us desperately, but soon desperation turned to pure wildness as he screamed at us, almost like a roar and a howl. His teeth elongated into canines, and then he was a beast.

We went to the cellar door, closed, and locked it as Tyler tried to get at us. Caroline and I sat in front of the door for three hours, waiting it out, until finally, all was silent. We looked through one of the holes Tyler had made in his attempt to reach us and saw that he had shifted back to his human form. Slowly and carefully, we opened the door back up and then unlocked the gate. When she realized he wasn't rabid anymore, Caroline ran to him and embraced him. I felt relieved, knowing that Tyler was OK. I knew he would be, but it was comforting knowing that he wasn't as distressed anymore.

It was in that moment, looking down on the two of them, that I was reminded of when George and I were young and madly in love. I was his Caroline. The one that helped him chain himself to the walls of the old slave quarters, who rubbed his back and sang to him as he cried out in pain. I cried with him. I have seen so many transformations, it did not even phase me anymore, seeing men revert to children. Crying out in pain, needing to be relaxed by a comforting presence, often feminine and maternal.

"You did a good job," I told Tyler, before beginning to take off the shackles he had locked on himself. I placed the chains in the duffel bag Tyler brought, so he could save them for next time.

Hope this chapter wasn't too much of a filler. Please review so I know people are still interested. Thank you for the support thus far!