𝟑𝟐

a/n: Char's outfit for the chapter is above!

☆═━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎 ━═☆

Charlotte couldn't quite grasp the idea of Paulina being alive and well. She had so many unanswered questions, doubts that Elena wouldn't even know what her ancestor looked like but Damon confirmed it, voicing his utter shock but above all, how would she greet her? Would she hug her, knowing that she was on Elijah's side to kill Elena? Would she be speechless, most likely?

Would Paulina want to see me?

"She ripped his heart right out of his chest and walked over it like it's nothing," Elena recalled, shaking her head as she tried to get rid of the memory stuck in her head.

"Paulina wouldn't...," Charlotte paused, running a hand over her face, she shrugged, "Or maybe she would. What do I know about her, anymore? What does she know about me except that I drove a stake through her fiance's heart? Real class."

Elena patted Charlotte's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze, "I am sure it will clear up soon."

She sighed, placing her head in her hands, "And now Stefan is stuck in the tomb with Katherine and everything is going to hell now...I just can't function."

The Gilbert hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck before she blurted out, "Do you still feel something towards Stefan?"

Charlotte looked up at her, processing the question. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip before inhaling sharply, "Yeah...he is my first friend in the whole world. The things I had with Stefan are the ones you can't erase or pretend they didn't happen."

"I will be honest with you...," The brunette vampire trailed off, laying her back on the bed's headboard, "I guess I will always love him, now and then don't hold that much difference...I am just not the same Charlotte he had loved back then. He deserves better, someone like you, Elena."

Elena's lips parted, attempting to cut in before Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, "I am basically damaged goods and you two have way more chemistry than we ever could have." That was a lie, Charlotte knew that but she felt if lying would keep the two of them happy then it won't hurt.

"Charlotte, you are not damaged goods by any means," Elena shook her head, denying so, "But I do appreciate your honesty with me."

"I just panicked, you know?" She raised an eyebrow, looking at Elena, "The tomb...everything that happened to me in there...I still have nightmares, Elena. It was the most traumatizing thing that I ever had to go through, the hunger, the pain, it never stops."

"I find myself unable to sleep because I am afraid that I might not wake up again and that scares me to death...," Charlotte trailed off, wrapping her arms around herself as she took in a deep breath.

Elena embraced Charlotte, rubbing her back as the vampire sighed, "I just don't want anyone to go through that, not even Katherine."

"But...she put you through that."

"People make mistakes, I can either be heartless or I can be forgiving and mature," Charlotte responded, collecting her thoughts, "No one deserves this, Elena. No one deserves what I had to go through so I need you to promise me something—"

"—Anything."

"Whenever we find a chance to get Stefan out of there, we will free Katherine, too," She stated, pausing to see her friend's reaction, "I know it seems stupid but she did say she will leave Mystic Falls."

Elena raised an eyebrow, "And you believe her?"

"I believe that even the big bad Katherine Pierce deserves a second chance, be it here or miles and miles away. Everybody deserves another go."

The human doppelganger frowned, thinking it over before she sighed reluctantly, "Fine, just don't tell anyone I agreed to this. Not now, at least."

"I promise I won't, thank you!" Charlotte engulfed Elena in one of her bear hugs, quite grateful that someone could see her point of view without calling her naive or hopeless.

Elena sighed, examining the moonstone, "Now that you've got this back, what are you gonna do with it?"

"Right now, it's what is binding the Sun and the Moon Curse," Charlotte paused, remembering Bonnie's explanation, "If Bonnie can figure out a way to remove the spell from the stone, the stone becomes useless."

"And according to Katherine, Klaus becomes vengeful," She deadpanned, rolling her eyes.

Charlotte raised her index figure up, dismissing that point, "That is if he finds out."

"Can't this wait?" Elena exhaled, questioned, "Stefan is stuck in the tomb with Katherine. We've got to get him out, you just said that."

"But Stefan wants us to focus on this."

"Don't listen to him," She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, "He thinks that he's protecting me, but he's wrong."

"I'm taking Stefan and Bonnie's side with this one," Charlotte collected the moonstone from Elena's hand, "I am not letting you be sacrificed in some pointless creepy ritual to satisfy a really old vampire. Not going to happen, Elena. Ever."

Jeremy and Bonnie arrived at the door, the brunette witch asking, "What are you two arguing about?"

"We're not arguing about anything," Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, putting the moonstone in her bag as she exchanged a glance with Jeremy and Bonnie, "You guys had breakfast, yet? Because I am starving."

She got off the bed, making her way downstairs as Bonnie followed her to the kitchen, "Okay, cheese or bacon eggs— oh, oh! What about pancakes?"

"I hate Pancakes," Bonnie dismissed, shaking her head.

Charlotte scoffed, "Everybody loves pancakes!"

Bonnie went to disagree before Charlotte raised her hand up and practically sprinted over in front of the house's door, stopping Elena from passing through, "Where are you going?"

"Um, to see Stefan," She stammered, answering.

"You're lying," Bonnie claimed from where she stood behind her with crossed arms.

Elena shook her head, "No, I'm not."

"Really? Tell your face."

She scoffed, shaking her head as she looked from Charlotte to Bonnie, "Are you serious?"

"She took the moonstone," Jeremy rejoined them, revealing.

"How did you...?"

"We tested you," Bonnie started.

Charlotte spoke up, finishing, "Surprise surprise, you failed."

Elena shook her head, attempting to reason with them, "Klaus killed Katherine's entire family just because she crossed him. I can't let that happen."

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, stepping away from the door, "Go on."

Elena looked mildly confused as she glanced at Charlotte's calm posture before swinging the door open, she went to pass but an invisible barrier prevented her. She was trapped. Elena turned around, looking at them, "What did you do?"

"It's for the best, Elena," Bonnie sighed, looking at Jeremy and Charlotte as they both held quite the smug smiles. Elena continued to try to break the barrier, to no avail.

✵ ✵ ✵

Serena paid the bill for Cassie's cheeseburger before seating her sister on a chair and crossing her arms over the table, "I love it when you bail on cooking."

"I didn't bail on cooking, Miss Judgy," Serena rolled her eyes at her sister, claiming, "You got a wonderful grade in Maths, I got an average one in Biology. So we're celebrating. Baby steps."

"Can we please celebrate existing by getting cheeseburgers every single day?"

"Nice try but no."

Cassie shrugged, savoring the taste of the juicy substance in her mouth, "Worth a try."

Serena chuckled, looking around the Mystic Grill before spotting Caroline and Tyler at a table, she frowned, glancing down at her nails. The brunette saw them getting up to leave before she called them over, "Hey, Caroline, Tyler!"

The two of them came over, the blonde vampire biting the inside of her cheeks as she greeted, "Hey, Rena! How are you?"

"I am good, in fact, I need to use the ladies' room. You are coming," She ordered before turning to Tyler, pointing at Cassie, "Watch her, will you?"

Serena didn't wait for his reply before pulling Caroline with her to the ladies' washroom, "Okay, what the hell?"

Caroline feigned surprise, shrugging her shoulders, "What?"

"Wherever I go, I see you and Tyler," Serena replied, crossing her arms over her chest, "What happened to the best friend code? No dating each other's ex, ever? Or is it cool when you are the one doing it?"

The blonde vampire shook her head, "Oh, no, no! You have got it all wrong, Serena! I swear."

"Really? Feel free to give me the real story."

Caroline sighed, slumping her shoulders back, "His transformation is tonight and he needs help," She paused, recalling, "Charlotte was there for me when I was turning and she helped me through it all, granted I pushed her away but if Tyler has no one...it will be even worse than my case."

"So, there's absolutely nothing going on with you two?"

"Serena, I would never do something like that to you, of all people. You are my best friend, my other half."

✵ ✵ ✵

Damon entered the house and joined Elena and Charlotte in the living room, the brunette vampire doing Maths homework on the carpet as Elena sat with a visible pout on her lips, "You should really lock your door."

He received no response before shrugging with a laugh, "Oh, come on, pouty. At least give me two points for ingenuity."

"Do you think this is funny?"

Charlotte momentarily looked up from her textbook, commenting, "Fitting word would be hilarious."

"Yes Elena," Damon shrugged, smiling smugly, "We find hilarity in the lengths that we have to go to repeatedly save your life."

"We?"

"Uh, it was my idea," Charlotte claimed, pursing her lips in a straight line, she mouthed, "Sorry."

Elena shook her head, putting her betrayed expression on display as she questioned, "What does Stefan say about this?"

"We had a good laugh."

"And what did he say about Elijah still being alive?"

He sat down next to her on the couch, putting his arm behind her head, "Yeah, that...I didn't tell him."

Elena furrowed her eyebrows, "Why not?"

"Well A; he can't do anything about it, and B..." He answered pausing with a shrug, "What I just said." Jeremy rejoined them, sitting down on the couch before Damon turned to him, "Where is Bonnie?"

"I thought she was meeting you."

"No, she's on moonstone duty and I'm on Elena patrol," Damon recalled, managing to very skillfully annoy Elena.

"What am I on then?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

Damon poked her nose, responding, "Maths homework. Hardest duty, eh?"

"Haha, very funny," She rolled her eyes, replying sarcastically, "I do all of their homework because if I don't then they will fail, and if they fail, they will drop out of high school," Charlotte grimaced, facing the Gilbert siblings, asking, "Do you want to be a high school dropout? Because I don't want to be an anything dropout."

"And who's on Tyler Lockwood and the full moon?"

"Vampire Barbie asked me if she could handle it, and I said, why not?" The eldest Salvatore answered, smiling to himself, "Figured if she screwed up, he'll bite her, and then I'll be rid of two of my problems."

"Hold on a second," Elena raised her hand, foreshowing her clear surprise, "Tonight's the full moon?"

Damon's phone rang as he turned to her, "Yep, but you were too absorbed with all your suicidal tendencies to notice," He got up, answering the phone.

Charlotte smiled, turning to Elena, "Don't worry about it. I didn't know either. Granted I wasn't trying to kill myself but...you know what I mean?"

Elena crossed her arms over chest, huffing out in frustration, "Unfortunately, I do."

Soon enough, Damon hung up, rejoining them in the living room, "Change of plans. You two babysit." Jeremy laid down on the couch, resting his head on Elena's lap as Damon suggested, "Hey you know, you should get out, enjoy the sun," He paused, feigning surprise, "Oh wait, you can't."

Elena threw a cushion at him, that he dodged just as Charlotte and Jeremy laughed. Except, she pushed poor Jeremy off of her and he rolled onto the floor, making Charlotte laugh harder.

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte zipped her backpack closed after placing her textbook inside before following Elena down the stairs, finding Jenna searching in the closet, "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Need any help?"

"I do actually," Jenna nodded gratefully giving Elena a box before handing Charlotte another, "Perfect timing."

"What is this stuff?"

"Your mom's files from the Historical Society," Jenna answered her niece, scratching the back of her head, "I got roped into helping Mrs. Lockwood and by roped, I mean very excited to participate."

"Sure," Charlotte chuckled, her laughter dying out as soon as Jenna shut the closet, revealing Elijah on the other side. All color left hers and Elena's faces as he turned to them.

"Hey, I'm Elijah."

The strawberry blonde Sommers turned to the brunettes, further introducing, "Elijah's in town doing research on Mystic Falls."

He got closer to Charlotte, shaking her hand, "It's a pleasure."

She shook his hand, exchanging a nervous glance with Elena, "Yeah...of course."

Jenna shrugged her shoulders, suggesting, "So you're welcome to stay here and rummage through this stuff, or Elena and I could help you load it into your car."

Elijah offered, "Or I can get someone to pick it up tomorrow."

She pursed her lips in a straight line, nodding, "Also a good plan."

He turned to Jenna, shaking her hand, "Thank you so much for inviting me into your home, Jenna and Elena...," Elijah emphasized, looking at them, "I hope to see you again sometime soon."

He left the room as Elena and Charlotte rushed upstairs to Jeremy's room. Elena knocked on the door as Charlotte pulled her phone out of her pocket, ready to dial Damon's number before Elijah grabbed Elena's wrist and procured Charlotte's cellular device. He hid next to the door, motioning with a finger to his lips for either of the girls not to tell Jeremy that he was there.

"What is it?" Jeremy asked, opening his door.

"Jenna was just asking me to get you to help her with the boxes," Elena stated, following through with Elijah's warning.

"Okay," Jeremy shrugged, descending downstairs.

Elijah looked from Charlotte to Elena, "A wise choice."

"What do you want?"

"I think it's time you two and I had a little chat."

✵ ✵ ✵

Inside of Elena's room, Elijah was sitting by the window, starting with an apology, "Forgive the intrusion. I mean your family no harm."

"How are you alive?"

"Excuse me?"

Charlotte bit her tongue, "Sorry, I killed you and you are here, not so dead...So, how are you alive?"

"I am an Original vampire, one of the first to walk the face of the Earth."

"Cool."

"Why did you kill those vampires when they tried to take me?" Elena questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.

Elijah sighed, answering simply, "Because I didn't want you to be taken. Klaus is the most feared and hated of the Originals, but those that fear him are desperate for his approval," He paused, revealing to them, "If word gets out that the doppelgänger exists, there'll be a line of vampires eager to take you to him and I can't have that."

"Isn't that exactly what you're trying to do?" She asked assumingly.

He shook his head, searching for appropriate wordings, "Let's just say that my goal is not to break the curse."

"So, what is your goal?"

"Klaus's obsession has made him paranoid. He's a recluse. He trusts only those in his immediate circle," Elijah claimed, exhaling sharply.

"Like you?"

He denied sadly, "Not anymore."

"But Paulina is?"

"I see you have done your search?"

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, "Just basics."

"So you're trying to use me to draw him out," Elena accused with raised eyebrows.

Elijah didn't deny so, rising to his feet, "Well, to do that I need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed."

Elena blinked back, showing her doubt, "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"If I wasn't being truthful, all your family would be dead and I'd be taking you to Klaus right now," He reasoned, tilting his head, "Instead, I'm here and I'm prepared to offer you a deal."

"What kind of a deal?"

"Do nothing," The vampire stated, shrugging, "Do nothing, live your life, stop fighting, and then, when the time is right, you and I shall draw out Klaus together and I shall make sure your friends remain unharmed."

Charlotte raised a skeptical eyebrow, "And then what?"

"Then I kill him."

"Just like that?"

He nodded, confidently, "Just like that," Elijah assured her, "I'm a man of my word, Elena. I make a deal, I keep a deal."

"How are you gonna be able to keep everybody safe?"

He recalled, raising his eyebrows, "I notice you have a friend; Bonnie, is it? She seems to possess the gift of magic. I have friends with similar gifts."

Elena rolled her eyebrows with a shrug, "You know witches."

"Together, we can protect everybody that matters to you," He finished, sounding ever so reassuring, "So, do we have a deal?"

Elena exchanged a look with Charlotte, speaking up, "I need you to do one more thing for me."

"For the both of us, actually," Charlotte added, turning to Elena as if reminding her of their conversation from earlier.

"We're negotiating now?"

"Yeah, you have got any problem with that?"

✵ ✵ ✵

"I am on my way and I have got fruits, a lot of them! I got strawberries, bananas, everything on the list!" Charlotte assured, strolling through the street with the groceries' bag in one hand and the phone in the other, "Don't have dinner without me, Rena."

"We won't, just get your ass over here," Charlotte could practically hear her niece roll her eyes from the other end, "You old lady."

"Ill-mannered, I don't what else to say. Now, bye," She smiled before hanging up, the brunette continued walking through the street.

"Hello, there," She paused, turning to the bench across the empty street, finding a brown-haired girl with her legs crossed. Charlotte couldn't quite identify her features as it was the nighttime.

"Hello...anything I could help with?"

"No, but there is something I need to ask you," She rose to her feet, calmly approaching Charlotte. The Bernard vampire furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, beginning to recognize the woman approaching, the change of clothes and the shorter haircut made it hard but it took her a few seconds before she put a name onto a face, "Have you lost your mind, Charlotte Jillian Bernard?"

"Paulina?"

"Yes, who else?" She shrugged as Charlotte dropped the groceries in her hand, gasping softly, "I don't know if this is a good shocked face or bad shocked face—" Paulina's question was cut off as her petite friend threw her arms around her, embracing her in the tightest hug she could muster up.

"Well, that looks like a good response," She joked slightly, returning the hug with just as much gratitude. Charlotte felt weird, good kind of weird. It had been so long since she had seen Paulina but it felt like she hadn't aged a day and if anything, her expressions, her scolding tone, and her warm hugs were just as she left them.

"I...don't even know what to say," Charlotte sighed. Just that morning she was doubting if Paulina Gilbert wanted to see her, to begin with, and now she had her best friend in her arms, and she had no idea what to say.

"Me neither but we will figure it out," Paulina chuckled, shaking her head before pulling Charlotte into another hug.

✵ ✵ ✵