Archive of Our Own ^beta

***

The pair got out of the Porsche and walked, hand in hand, through the driveway ‘till the front door.

The tall dark-haired man couldn’t help but notice his girlfriend’s palms sweating a little.

“Everything’s going to be outstanding, Katerina”, he reassured her for what seemed to be the thousandth time that evening, while squeezing her palm in his manly one.  

Katherina, or Katherine, how she preferred, gave him a little smile and sighed, trying to compose herself.  

She and Elijah have been seeing each other for six months now, and that was the first time she would’ve been meeting his family.  

The second of five siblings had met Katherine at the surprise party, of his brother, Klaus’, girlfriend and also, Kath BFF, Caroline Forbes. Both of the girls were models and had met each other on a casting agency and been inseparable since then.  

The chemistry between the Mikaelson and Petrova - or Pierce, if you referred to her on the modeling world -, had made sparks fly instantly. People would say ‘they’re the lucky ones’ and in a certain way, they were, indeed.  

Therefore, Katherine only knew Klaus from Elijah’s family, and although people usually liked her, Caroline had advised her friend on being prepared, because, The Milkaelsons were straight forward and honest to the point of making you uncomfortable without caring about your feelings.

Elijah had assured her that his brothers and sister, as well as the rest of the crew, would be nice enough with her, and if not, he would protect her and they could be gone by the time she said so.

But Katherine knew for a fact, that nothing mattered for Elijah more than his family, except maybe his work, but put that aside, his family was the most precious thing in his life.

The tall and elegant man, talked about his relatives all the time, at least, the alive ones.

His eldest brother Finn, with his solitude complex, until he found his soulmate, a redhead named Sage, that worked with him at one of the family law firms.  

Then, the bother after himself, Niklaus, although only he called him that, the average called him Klaus, except for their sister, that one called him Nik. By far the closer sibling he had and his considered best mate, also Caroline’s boyfriend, and the one to orchestrate, with his girl, their first couple of dates.  

After Klaus, there was Kol. The outgoing one. The life of the party, the warmer one, contrary to the other brothers, Kol saw life as a big great feast and made the most of it on any occasion. Of course, he was the one that always got the siblings in trouble back in the day. Elijah always talked about him with fond eyes and a warm smile, while sipping wine, or any other beverages they’d be drinking.

And last, but certainly not least, they had an only sister: Rebekah. Elijah adored her and was, with Klaus, overly protective of the girl, in any matter.

Said sister, was holding this evening dinner for them to meet Katherine.

The brunette adjusted the purple scarf around her neck, the air was windy and it didn’t help they were under Seattle fall either.

Katherine watched Elijah press the doorbell, although the security detail by the condo’s gate, certainly, already informed the insiders of their arrival.  

“Take a deep breath, Katerina”, he said using her birth name, the one nobody used anymore but him, as he removed his hand from hers and went around her to stop behind her back. “they’re going to love you… as much as me.” he smiled in his phrase, depositing a kiss on her cheek.

For a split second, she felt herself relaxing in his arms, now around her waist. He knew her all too well.

I walked through the door with you, the air was cold
But something about it felt like home somehow

“It was so very nice, that I even forgot my scarf at your sister’s house”, Katherine pointed out looking ahead the freeway through the car windbreaker.  

Elijah opened a smile and squeezed her hand, the other on the steering wheel.  

They had decided to expand the weekend, after the success that was the dinner at Rebeka’s house, and were heading upstate, without an exact destination, just beholding the sights the Autumn season had to offer as holding each other.  

“We can go back and get it for you, beautiful.” He offered, turning his head briefly from the road to face his girlfriend.  

Katerina smiled with the gesture, but nodded her head no, they were hours away from Seattle by now and she just wanted to move forward.

And I left my scarf there at your sister's house
And you've still got it in your drawer even now

“I have that trip to Millan in three days, Vogue cover and all.” She shrugged like it was nothing.

“Oh, she’s so fancy.” He mocked while lightly squeezing her hand over his thigh.

Kath laughed and lightly slapped his suit covered shoulder.

“Says the guy who drives expensive cars and wears almost as expensive suits… oh! Did I mention that his family is one o the wealthiest in the UK?” she cornered eyed him and noticed the stupid smile he was wearing, the one he reserved only for their moments like this. “I’m so sorry, Sir? Am I entertaining you?” she forced an English accent and faked bowed in his direction.  

“I do not speak like that.”

“Oh, but you do." Katherine replied, "only, much sexier.”

He sighed in fake disbelief and reached for the radio.

“I’m choosing the station now”, she demanded and battled his hand from the console. “You did it couple miles ago, and I can’t stand classical music, anymore, sorry babe”, she was saying as turning up the radio on an indie station.

Vance Joy started to play and Georgia surrounded them in its light and romantic lyric.

"And I could easily lose my mind, the way you kiss me will work each time…" the brunette sang, “c’mon ‘Lijah! I’m not singing alone, you know the lyrics, please?” the woman begged, pulling at his sleeve like a spoiled child.

“Calling me back into the flames, and I’m burning up again…” he tried singing on tune.

“And, I, I never understood what was at stake”

“I never thought your love was worth its way…”

Katerina muted the radio.  

"How come, I did not know my boyfriend had such talent as singer?!" asked the girl in mocked surprise and arched eyebrows.

"I surely can show you all my hidden talents, Katerina. All in due time." He faced her again and soon enough, detached his attention back to the highway.  

Oh, your sweet disposition and my wide-eyed gaze
We're singing in the car, getting lost Upstate
Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place
And I can picture it after all these days

Katherine ran the back of her hands through her wet face and took a deep breath.

In and out.

In and out.  

She tried to show a smile to her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She failed.

Then she tried again.

Success.

Only if people knew how fake that smile was.

The brunette finished cleaning her make-up, red eyes and puffy cheeks, brushed her teeth, before turning the bathroom light off, and walking to her bed, on the apartment she lived alone now.

As she turned the bedside lamp off, Katherine watched the view from Central Park, to the dazzling lights New York City provided at night, to the stars above in the sky, those she simply could not appreciate anymore.

Because, all those times she’d done it before, were by his side, and if he wasn’t there any longer, the magic was also gone. 

Katherine Pierce sounded like a needy ex-girlfriend who might write sad poems about her ex, but she was just a girl, of 22, with hopes and dreams of a guy who was 32 that had broken her heart in pieces she didn't know if she could mend together anymore.

Checking her phone for the last time before closing her eyes to try and sleep, she caught Caroline’s message.

From: Carebear Forbes

To: Katherine Pierce

At: 10:41 P.M.

Miss U! R u okay? :/

From: Katherine Pierce

To: Carebear Forbes

At: 10: 42 P.M.

Will be. Miss u 2. Luv ya <3

And I know it's long gone
And that magic's not here no more
And I might be okay
But I'm not fine at all

Welcome to Silverlake ! Read the sign.

“You’re sure, we’re not lost, right?” Katerina asked for the nth time on that road trip.

She watched Elijah roll his eyes. “Just because I’m English does not mean I cannot navigate through US lands, Katerina. Besides, we have no destination settled, remember?” He answered curving on the little town road.

"You sound like a petulant English attorney… Oh, wait! You are!” she put her hands on her chest in fake surprise, leading her hands to her mouth after that to prevent a laugh from coming out.

“You think you’re funny, Miss Petrova?” inquired the brown-haired man bringing his palm to her thigh.  

“Oh, no!” she denied with her head. “I know I am!”

He stared at her for the briefest of moments. Her chestnut hair blowing with the wind entering through the car windows, her kind brown eyes shining for him, her mouth in a clear show of happiness, smiling at him, that was until Katherine break eye contact with him, her eyes grew wide, and then he looked ahead and saw the red light.

Elijah set feet on the breaks, making that agonizing sound of wheels on the asphalt, and the car came to an abrupt stop.

“Are you okay, Katerina?” he asked passed the two seconds of silence inside the vehicle.

“Yeah…” she assured him of her wellbeing.

His knuckles white on the steering wheel were touched by her warm hands, taking his off of the round console.

“I’m okay, we’re okay.” She said again, this time squeezing both of his hands in hers.

'Cause there we are again on that little town street
You almost ran the red 'cause you were looking over at me
Wind in my hair, I was there, I remember it all too well

"The way you talk about your family is… peculiar.” She pointed out sipping the last of her red wine.

Elijah shrugged and refilled her glass.

"They're peculiar, but acceptably so, I must say. Most of the time."

She snorted. “That makes me much more tranquil, you know?” ironized the brunette.

“They are going to relish you, Katerina.” Announced the man, finishing his scotch.

“Maybe my seduction skills will work on all Mikaelsons?” wondered the young model with one finger on her jawline.

He laughed and got closer to his girlfriend on the sofa.

“Hopefully, I’m the only one you’re going to ravish with your seduction methods, my Dear Katerina?”

“You’re so far, the one I love the most, certainly”, informed the woman.

He faced her wide-eyed, mocking surprise in his whole face.

“So”, he took the glass from her hands, “I must guarantee my advantage over the rest of us Mikaelsons, then, don’t you think?” asked the man as he was descending his mouth closer to hers.

“I can consider that, yes.” She smirked and felt his breath on her lips.

“Good.” Elijah finally said before gracing their lips the contact both craved.

You taught me 'bout your past, thinking your future was me

The sun was setting over the horizon as Katherine Pierce slowly drank her wine from a crystal glass at Caroline and Klaus’ household. The oranges and purples merged themselves in clouds that were bordered gold and pink. The dark Seattle sea bellow the giant rocks the house was built upon, constantly showered the coast in crashing and powerful waves signalizing the rising tide.

The wind was constantly catching up her hair in its fluttery, and it calmed her senses in ways Katerina haven’t felt in weeks.  

Caroline had invited her to hers and Klaus’ new mansion to spend the weekend and celebrate the blonde’s birthday.

Katherine knew she couldn’t refuse, because Care was her best friend since they started on the industry, over 7 years ago, but the fear and resent of seeing him again, after all this time…

Well, it was only a couple months now, but the pain was fresh as if she had cut it right about now.

He had drawn starts around her scars and now she was bleeding. Soaking the glamourous dresses she wore in the red elixir coming out of the fresh wound around her heart.  

As she felt the tears pooling and stinging in the corner of her eyes, Kath waved her head as deeply sighing.

The deal was done. They were over. She might as well move forward.

And I know it's long gone
And there was nothing else I could do
And I forget about you long enough
To forget why I needed to

Katerina descended the stairs to Elijah’s apartment in New York. Things were starting to get serious between the pair and the girl often stayed at his condo. Of course, she had her place with Caroline, but the privacy of being at Elijah’s was incomparable.

The brunette reached the kitchen on the first floor of the loft and saw a bright light coming from the room ahead;

“Lijah?” called the woman entering the modern American kitchen.

“Katerina… did I wake you up?” he wanted to know

The girl made herself comfortable by the counter and nodded her head no in response, “I just woke up and you weren’t there, so I came to check on you”, offered Katherine with a shy smile.

She watched Elijah’s face open in one too as he approached her, leaving the refrigerator door ajar.

The man hugged her waist in a loose embrace and swayed them side to side in a slow dance while looking her deep in the eyes. 

“I’m falling madly in love with you, Katerina. Such as I’ve never before.” He exposed his thoughts and placed his chin above her head, closing his eyes on the processes, just to savor the moment and feeling of having her so close.

“And that’s why we’re dancing in the middle of the kitchen in the fridge light?” inquired the model also closing her eyes and feeling his hands roaming around his shirt she was wearing.

“We’re making memories.” The second eldest Mikaelson explained and lightly pulled his girl closer, feeling her arms circle around his bare neck.

“Let’s improve them, then…” she let the phase die in a whisper as she touched his lips with hers.

'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night
We're dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light
Down the stairs, I was there, I remember it all too well, yeah

“So, you won’t get here in time?” she asked over the phone, having the last touches of her make-up being done by a make-up artist at the backstage.

“Kateri-“ the man tried to explain but Kath cut him off.

“Why am I even surprised?! You’re never there anyway!” exclaimed the girl, her voice starting to sound hoarse.

That broke Elijah’s heart over the other side of the phone, of the town.

“Don’t be like that Katerina…” he tried again.

“You know what?! Forget it! I should’ve known work was all there was for you anyway, because you’re never there Elijah, like ever! I assumed I was worth something more than this silence and absence, guess I was wrong… You don’t need to come anymore. Bye.” She announced as she discarded the phone over the products counter ahead.

Katherine only noticed she was crying the make-up artist paddled her tear away with a brush.

***

After the fashion show, Katherine darted home, with her heart on her sleeve and her shallow breathing.

She had never felt anything like the feeling of being with Elijah before for anyone else, but she also loved herself and valued who she was so much too, to accept crumbs from a guy, even though that guy was the love of her life.

Still, all that self-love and said preservation didn’t make things any easier. The way he was trying to explain the motive he couldn’t make it… she should’ve listened to him, instead of dashing out at him and screaming like a nut case. But she was too emotional and too hurt to even contemplate him with a second of attention.

Kath sighed putting the keys over the kitchen counter.

She picked up the phone on her jeans back pocket, ignoring Care’s text wondering of her whereabouts and why she wasn’t at the fashion show afterparty.

Katherine wondered calling Elijah, but he was probably raging with her infantile tantrum. The woman of 22 sighed and ran her hands through her hair and face.

She would go there and apologize. Elijah was probably at his office downtown. If she knew him right, after almost a year of the relationship, was that he certainly won the case and was wrapping up some things with associates and his client.

So, Katerina took a cab and downtown she went with hopes that she could mend them with tape, glue, and apologies.

***

The model entered the enormous building and with the status of the owner’s girlfriend, she didn’t have to be announced by the receptionist. Kath only gave an amicable smile and entered the elevator. Didn't take long to reach the top floor, since almost everybody had already left home keeping the transportation uneventful, therefore she walked the long corridor to his office door and pushed it open.

That’s when she saw the scene she wished she never has. 

With the sound o the door the brown-haired girl kissing her boyfriend startled away from him.

Katherine's eyes glistened with unshed tears and she put her hand over her mouth to suppress the sob coming up her throat.

“Katerina, she kissed me I-“ Elijah started to explain, but he was lost. Hayley Marshall was the client he had won the case for, and as usual, he had taken his client and associates to have a celebratory drink at his office, only she was the last to leave and had intrigued him in a conversation, only to kiss him by surprise after. He didn't correspond the kiss and was pushing her off off him when Katerina entered the room and got it all wrong. 

Katherine dismissed his words with her other hand and nodded her head no, as she turned around to leave.

“Let her go, we can have so much fun-“ initiated the brunette bombshell by his side.

“You’ve done enough!” he ran his hands through his hair in exasperation, “please, leave and never come back near this company, or me, for that matter, Mrs. Marshall”, Elijah said as he walked out of the door after Katerina.

Elijah Mikaelson caught the last of Katerina’s running steps entering the elevator at the end of the hall and the tears falling out of her chocolate eyes as the doors closed in front of them.  

Well, maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much
But maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up
Running scared, I was there, I remember it all too well

“He’s calling, again!” Caroline announced entering the room and showing her best friend her iPhone.

“I told you to hide my phone from me Care, not to shove it to my face at every Elijah attempt of bullshitting me”, Kath snarked as she rolled in bed giving Caroline her back.

Caroline Forbes-Mikaelson now, looked around her. The room was strangely neat for her friend didn’t care about such things as, organization, and sighed heavily.

“Why don’t you come to my birthday party this weekend? It’s gonna do you good, getting out of the bed and seeing people, also leave this haunted apartment of yours!” pleaded the blonde model as she sat by the end of the bed. "And before you ask, he won't be there. I strictly told Klaus to not invite him, also, Rebekah told me he's in the UK for the month"

“Of course, he is," Katherine mumbled from inside the covers, bitterness dripping from her every word.

She heard her friend sigh once more.

“Kath, please? For me?” begged Forbes with her hands united in a plea sign.

Katherine rolled her eyes and tried a smile on her face.

“I’m gonna try. Is that enough for you Care?”

Caroline nodded sympathetically and reached for Katerina’s hand to squeeze it tight.

They both heard the phone vibrating again.

“URGH!” Katherine urged with all her strength and tore the phone up from her BFF's hand. “Yes?” answered the brunette.

“Hello, Miss Pierce?” Katherine heard a woman addressing her.

“That’s she”, the girl confirmed and Caroline looked at her puzzled, the number on the screen was Elijah’s but for Kath’s tone, that wasn’t him talking.

“I am Mr. Mikaelson governess and personal assistant from London. I am calling on behalf of Mr. Mikaelson to confirm the address which I can send your things from the London townhouse."

Katherine was paralyzed with such an announcement. 

She honestly didn’t expect them to come back together, although, she also didn’t expect that behavior coming from her ex.

“Miss Pierce?” the governess called over the line after long moments of silence on the other side.

Caroline noticed that Katherine didn't move a muscle, either to respond to the person on the other side nor to unglue her eyes from the nothingness ahead of her.

The blonde caught Kath’s eyes brimming with fresh tears and tore the device from the model’s hand.

“This is Caroline Forbes-Mikaelson speaking, how can I help you?”

As Caroline's voice faded away for she had left the room, Katherine’s tears wetted the bedsheets and the heart inside her chest broke a little more.

Hey, you call me up again just to break me like a promise
So casually cruel in the name of being honest
I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here
'Cause I remember it all, all, all... too well

When the boxes arrived, a month later, Katherine opened them with intentions of throwing it all away. She didn’t want any ghosts of them in her life anymore. She was selling the condo he had left her with and negotiating with the model agency for her to move to Italy. Far away from him, far away from the memories. Far away from their phantoms.

Of course, she would be leaving behind her dear friend, that lived in Seattle with her husband now. But Caroline would be okay. Even though the bumps on the road, she and Klaus were meant to be. Not that she believed any of that crap for herself now anymore.

Even so, she wished she had that with Elijah.

Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it
I'd like to be my old self again, but I'm still trying to find it
After plaid shirt days and nights when you made me your own
Now you mail back my things and I walk home alone

And when two years after, Katherine visits to meet baby Hope, Klaus and Caroline's daughter, she sees him again.

He’s not there when she arrives from the airport, so after all the pleasantries, the huge amount of presents she got Hope from Italy, a long chat with Caroline and some godmother time with the newborn girl, she ascended the stairs to find her room. She can’t recall with precision which one Caroline always says it’s hers for when she comes, so she enters the second door to the left.

The room is neat and has soft blue bedding that reflects on the grand windows around the walls. The sun setting a hundred miles away just makes it all more breathtaking.

Kath walked further into the room and saw a suitcase on the floor she hadn’t noticed before. It was open, so she sneaked a peak and wide-eyed she crouched closer to take the purple scarf in her hands.

“Not much etiquette, I see, Katerina.” She heard from behind her back, probably coming from the adjacent bathroom.

“As it isn’t to keep something that’s not yours.” She replied coming back to a standing position, still not facing him.

Elijah moved forward and around her to the traveling case, collecting a man shirt to put on with his pantsuit slacks.

“Tell me, do you keep souvenirs of all your conquests?” she bitterly asked as she turned to leave the room.

Kath heard him sigh heavily before he opened his mouth to speak “You were never simply a name on my list, a conquest to achieve Katerina, and you know it very well.”

“You should’ve proven it to me then”, came her reply as she finally left the sunset bathed room.

But you keep my old scarf from that very first week
'Cause it reminds you of innocence and it smells like me
You can't get rid of it 'cause you remember it all too well, yeah

And as she walked through the door, Elijah knew once more, that he had lost her forever.

He should have tried harder, he should have fought harder for the both of them.

But within his stupidity, Elijah couldn’t assemble any way to run after her, neither confront her bitter words towards him.

Because, before what she thought was him cheating, came the absence, the non-replied messages, the lack of being literally there for her.

He could never accuse her of being needy or over the top, no. It was him that was always finding ways of chasing them apart more and more with the time being. It was a dinner he couldn’t make it, because of a case, it was a birthday party he wouldn’t come because of some business trip he just could not postpone, it was a fashion show he never got to attend, the motive always repeating itself, again and again, like a Ferris Wheel.

Maybe one day all this would stay in the past and they would try again. For the sake of the family, for the sake of his goddaughter, for the sake of them both.

'Cause there we are again, when I loved you so
Back before you lost the one real thing you've ever known
It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well

Katherine nursed a teacup as seated on the windowsill in her room at Care's house and as she looked at the last rays of the sun disappearing to let the night grace the world, she unconscionably reminisced the moments she left behind, a couple of years ago. 

Once upon a time, she dreamed of a big house on the hills, just as this one, with a brown-haired kid, such as Hope, to care about and live for, with a loving husband, she was certain at that time, would be Elijah.

Strange how life worked and how dreams changed.

Maybe…

Maybe one day, when the hurting subsided, when he learned to love her the way she deserved, they could try and come to this matter again, but for the time being, she was resentful, full of memories and moments in time she prayed would go away just as the sun had gone to sleep.

With the shore wind blowing her hair away from her face and bringing the steam of the tea to her nostrils, Katherine closed her eyes and wished to be carried to that moment in the future.

She could almost grasp it with the tips of her fingers…

She knew that sensation all too well by now.

Wind in my hair, you were there, you remember it all
Down the stairs, you were there, you remember it all
It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well