𝟖𝟑

a/n: Cher's outfit for the first day on the left and a few days later on the right!

☆═━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄━═☆

Charlotte crossed her arms together, walking out of the cellar where she was checking on Elena, "Still nothing. No reaction whatsoever."

The Salvatores exchanged a look before Damon moved over to pour himself a glass of liquor as Charlotte claimed, "On the bright side, she lost her energy to spat so there's that."

"She's the calmest desiccating vampire I've ever seen," Damon sighed, shaking his head in frustration, "I remember when you starved me down there for three days. I would've wept at your feet for an orange peel."

"Look, she's not gonna beg for blood," Stefan sighed before stating, "Begging means desperation, emotion. She's still in no-humanity zone."

Charlotte sat down on the couch, crossing her legs together as the older Salvatore wondered aloud, "How hungry does she have to be before we can torture some feelings back into her?"

"A lot hungrier than she is now, apparently."

The petite brunette frowned, asking, "So what do we do now?"

"Maybe I can provide a little excitement."

Charlotte whirled around as Katherine Pierce strolled into the room, smiling like a Cheshire cat. One would look at her and forget that she is supposed to be on the run from an Original Hybrid that was still in town the last time Charlotte checked.

"Katherine."

She smirked, reveling in the reaction her presence still had over them, "The one and only...sort of." Charlotte rolled her eyes, rising to her feet just as the doppelganger asked, "So, when's the Welcome Home party?"

"Wow, look who went and got bold." Katherine proceeded to pour herself a drink as Damon raised both of his eyebrows, commenting, "Last time I checked, Klaus was plotting your eternal demise."

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore, because Klaus is gone."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charlotte inquired, folding her arms together as Katherine's proud look worried her.

"Let's just say that werewolf girl, Hayley, turned out to be just the thing we needed to get Klaus out of our lives—for good," Katherine finished, downing her drink.

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte took a sip from the glass of blood in her hands, crouching down so she could see Elena's eyes as the doppelganger leaned back on the wall. She was in even worser shape than earlier, "You look like you need a shower."

"I'm hungry," She let out, raising an eyebrow, "Feel like sharing that?"

"Oh, don't play on my generous side. It's pretty weak," Charlotte pursed her lips together before stretching her arm out, offering Elena the glass, "Fine, you win."

Her eyes widened, reaching for it hungrily. She downed the whole glass, but the relief didn't last long as she tasted the burn of vervain going down her throat and spat out the blood, turning to glower at the petite brunette, "Whoops, did I forget to tell you? Vervain. I am creating an immunity. A healthy lifestyle with veggies and everything. Thought you might wanna participate?"

"How is that making you feel?" She raised an eyebrow, resting her elbows on her knees, "Hurt because I just betrayed you? Anger because you fell for something this stupid? Surprise that I would stoop so low? Fear. Because you don't know how far this can get?"

"You care about me. You will never know how to take it far enough."

Charlotte pursed her lips in a tight smile, "I guess we will see then."

Elena vamp-sped up and towards the exit of the cellar only to be stopped by Damon and Stefan standing in the doorway. She nodded, turning to look from Charlotte to the Salvatore brothers, "You guys wanna play games? Go ahead. Let's see who breaks first. Me," Charlotte rose to her feet as Elena finished dramatically, "...or you."

✵ ✵ ✵

"Pregnant? As in carrying a child pregnant?"

Lina rolled her eyes, nodding, "Yes, that kind of pregnant. Not that there is any other kind of pregnant that I know of," She shrugged her shoulders, finishing, "They had sex, and now this Hayley girl is pregnant."

Charlotte arched an eyebrow, "I don't know what's weirder; the fact that a vampire was able to procreate or that I can actually imagine Klaus as a good dad."

The Gilbert vampire had a faint smile on her lips as she imagined it herself, "You are right. It does sound horrific yet wholesome, in a weird way."

"God, they are going to have such a cute baby," She wondered aloud, almost jumping from excitement as Lina looked at her warily, "What?"

"I don't know...I thought you would be a little jealous? Upset?" Paulina reached out and placed her palm on the petite brunette's forehead, "No, you are not sick, but what's wrong with you?"

"It's not like Klaus and I were a thing, Lina."

"But you were a something."

She shrugged nonchalantly, "When he wasn't plotting the demise of my friends, sure," Charlotte sighed, "Plus, I am kind of happy for him. He needs that child more than he will ever know."

Lina ran a hand over her own forehead, "Whatever, I will never understand what goes on inside that little head of yours."

"Nope, you won't," Charlotte smiled, shaking her head, "Are you going to New Orleans then? With Klaus and...uh, Elijah?"

"Hell no, I am sticking for your graduation party. I have got cash and some very generous donations to make," Paulina stated, folding her arms together, "I kinda like this role. The rich, hot, and single friend. It works for me."

"Soon to be aunt."

"Yup. Not freaking out or anything."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte exhaled sharply, shaking her head from where she stood a few feet behind Damon. He has been in Elena's head for an hour and still no progress. Moreover, he was exceptionally annoying and bossy for someone who put them in this mess, to begin with.

"You still have her locked in the safe?" Stefan walked in, asking, "You've been in her head for an hour. What, still nothing?"

Damon ignored his brother and knocked on the safe, "How you doing in there?" He unlocked the safe and opened the door. Charlotte barely sneaked a look at her before he pulled her out, "Come on."

She fell to the ground, and the oldest Salvatore crouched down in front of her, "Is the old you ready to come out and play?"

"Go to hell," Elena spat out as Charlotte stifled a laugh.

"Okay. Back you go."

He threw her back into the safe, claiming, "We can do this the nice way, or we can do it the other way...but either way, we're not stopping until you turn your humanity switch back on."

Damon looked from Stefan to Charlotte, finishing, "So I'm gonna let you think about that, and I'm gonna come back for you in a couple hours, or a couple years...because all we have is time." He patted the safe twice before walking past them.

✵ ✵ ✵

Ignoring Damon, as usual, Charlotte pulled Elena out of the safe and helped her sit down in the cellar before walking a few feet away and crouching down. She didn't know if it was to sympathize less with Elena or hold back from lashing out at her; either way, the distance was helpful.

"Ironic method of torture after being locked in a tomb for a hundred years," Elena commented, tilting her head to look at the Bernard, "Any tips for your dear old friend?"

Charlotte forced a chuckle, shaking her head, "If I even put you through a fraction of what I went through, you wouldn't have that bright humor."

"Yes, please start whining about how hard your life is and how we are all lucky to have you guest-starring in ours," She rolled her eyes, "Does it ever get boring, listening to yourself? Cause I am definitely bored of you."

Charlotte pursed her lips together and started, "I am not going to try and reach out to you as your best friend because I don't think we can be that to each other anymore," She shrugged her shoulders, "But as someone who has been your position a while ago, let me spoil it for you and skip to the end. Warning, I won't sugarcoat it."

"It's not a permanent solution; it's an escape. And as sweet as it is for the first few days, it is devastating when it finally wears off," She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, "Jeremy's dead. That's the truth. He is gone. And when you turn your humanity off, that doesn't make it less true."

"It just...it just makes you lose the few people you have left in your life. One by one, you are pushing them all away...and at some point, they will stop fighting for a place in your life, or what's left of it," Charlotte held her breath and stated, "The world will go on, either way, Elena. Forget what Damon says. If you keep holding off your emotions and being that heartless bitch, even he will walk away eventually."

Elena looked back at her, and she could swear that for a second there, fear danced in those doe brown eyes of hers before she spoke up, "You just can't take a break, can you?"

She furrowed her eyebrows together, and the Gilbert continued, "Charlotte, the hero who turned Elena's humanity back on even when she couldn't stand her," Elena rose to her feet, leaning on the wall for support, "Charlotte, the do-gooder. Charlotte, the perfect girl we should all look up to even when she is the most pathetic and the weakest out of us all."

"Someone once told me having a good heart doesn't make you weak. It makes you better."

"Oh, yeah?" Elena raised an eyebrow, "How good is your heart with all that blood on your hands?"

Charlotte exhaled sharply, shaking her head before the doppelganger spoke up again, "You know, even with the age difference to your advantage, you can't learn to never let your guard down. Tsk, tsk."

The Bernard rolled her eyes, reaching forward and wrapping her hand around Elena's ankle before tightening her hold and twisting, preventing Elena from running for the door like she was planning to since she started rising to her feet.

She fell to the floor, clutching her ankle in pain as Charlotte stood up, "You should really stop underestimating me."

✵ ✵ ✵

Did Charlotte know that as vile as Damon's methods were, they were their only choice? Yes. Did she know that Elena needed to get back to herself as soon as possible? Also Yes. Did any of that prevent her from wanting to dig up a grave and bury herself so she won't hear Elena's screams? No.

Caroline shook her head, speaking up, "One of us needs to create some distraction because I can't deal with this anymore."

"She tried to kill you," Charlotte reminded her.

"Yeah, but hearing those screams...I can't. I just can't."

The Bernard girl stood up, stating, "You know we don't have to stay here. Stefan and Damon are the experts. They can handle it."

"No, no, sit down. Matt's on the way. We need all the emotional support we can get."

Charlotte ran her hand over her face, "What are we gonna do? Sit in a circle and pretend our friend is getting a tan in there?"

Matt walked in just as the blonde vampire screeched out, "You don't have to say it like that." The Bernard only shrugged before Caroline turned to Matt, "Hey, you are here. Finally."

Charlotte briefly waved at Matt before sitting back down. It was getting quiet again after greeting him, and involuntarily both Caroline and Charlotte were welcomed back to Elena's unpleasant screams.

"We have to keep talking. If we don't keep talking, then I won't be able to stop myself from listening in, and I can't stand to hear Elena in pain."

Matt folded his arms together, "Well, what do you wanna talk about?"

"I don't know. Anything," She paused before speaking up again, "I ordered you a cap and gown."

"You did?"

"I just figured that you'd forget, so I ordered yours when I ordered mine. I got one for Elena," Caroline claimed, nodding to herself before addressing Charlotte, "And you, too."

Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows together, "I didn't know we order those...I just thought we get them at school or whatever."

"Yeah, I figured."

They heard a door open across the way, and saw Rebekah inside through some glass doors, carrying a brown paper bag, "What the hell is she doing here?" Caroline was the first to question it.

Inside, Rebekah withdrew a takeout box from the paper bag as the three friends walked back in. Charlotte was mentally preparing herself for the blondes' drama even though it felt like Rebekah wasn't here for any of that.

"Hi. I don't mean to interfere," Her instincts were proven right when Rebekah spoke up, "It's just, I happen to know all they keep in this house is blood and booze, so I brought a peace offering. Burgers?"

Matt approached her before the younger vampires, "Thanks," He took a box, smiling tightly.

"Yeah, we can't really entertain right now, but thanks for stopping by—"

Charlotte interjected, "You got a cheeseburger in there?"

Rebekah smiled, answering, "Yes, of course. How could I forget Charlotte Bernard's one and only love?"

Despite the day she had been having, the Bernard cracked a smile as she picked up one of the boxes, "The only one deserving of my love."

"I think I might stay," The Mikaelson stated, regarding Caroline's recent dismissal, "Matt mentioned that he was failing classes and needed a study buddy."

"Wow," Charlotte raised her eyebrows before biting into her burger, "Caroline is going to kill you."

Said blonde nudged her, "Please don't speak about me like I am not standing right here," Charlotte coughed out, signaling some form of apology as she swallowed her food, and Caroline picked on her next prey, "You're failing? Wh—why didn't you ask me to help you study?"

"Well, I didn't exactly ask her," He defended, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Well, what classes are you failing?"

"I'm not failing," Matt brushed off the term, shaking his head nervously, "I'm just...really, really behind in history...and Italian, and math..."

"Also known as, about to be failing. Same thing," Charlotte commented, taking another bite of her cheeseburger.

"Matt!"

"This year's been a little distracting...," He exhaled.

"We could all help," Rebekah offered, smiling, "All hands on deck—that's the motto around here, right?"

Charlotte shook her head, stating, "We don't do that; we don't have a motto. We are barely getting by."

"That could be a good motto."

Caroline ignored both of them—as the mature person she is—and turned to Matt, "Look, if you need to study, we're gonna study. I'm gonna go home, and I'm gonna get my flashcards, and my study guides, and some energy bars."

"This is gonna be good," She gave them two thumbs up and speed-walked out the door.

Charlotte waited a few minutes after Caroline left to ask, "Do I call her back and let her know I have the flashcards or..."

"Better not."

✵ ✵ ✵

"You called who?"

"Katherine."

"Let me get this straight," Charlotte folded her arms together, looking up at Stefan, "You are bringing that psycho into our home to scare Elena back to her normal self?" He nodded, and she blurted out, "When did you become so dumb?"

"Excuse me?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I mean, you always were, but this is...new level."

"She thinks we are not gonna hurt her," Stefan justified, "And she is right."

Suddenly the front door opened, and Katherine Pierce walked in, "What a beautiful sentiment."

Charlotte pursed her lips together, walking back into the house from the yard, looking at the doppelganger as Damon commented, "Seriously? You can't knock?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rebekah questioned, having been in the living room with Matt.

"You didn't get the memo?" She smiled, raising her eyebrows before stating, "I'm here to talk some sense into poor, emotionless Elena."

Matt scoffed out, turning to Damon, "Are you out of your mind?"

"You got a better idea, prom king? Unless you want me to lock you up in there with her, I suggest you shut up. Let the adults handle this."

"Sure. Adults." Charlotte mocked, walking past Damon and descending the stairs to the basement.

Katherine followed her downstairs, and just before she could walk into the cellar, Charlotte stopped in front of her, "Let me guess, they forgot to run this by you?"

"Why are you here? What do you get out of this?"

"Pure entertainment."

"Really? Not answers?" The Bernard asked, crossing her arms over her chest, "You don't want an explanation as to why Elijah won't return your calls anymore?"

The interest peaked in the older brunette's eyes as she looked down at Charlotte, "What do you know about that?"

Charlotte didn't find it hard to smile up at the doppelganger who took a threatening step toward her. "Quit playing, Katherine. You know you can't hurt me."

"What did you tell him?"

"Only the truth," She shrugged her shoulders, raising an eyebrow tauntingly, "But that's just the scary part, isn't it? Which horrible truth was it?"

Katherine tilted her head, murmuring, "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"Probably," Charlotte took a step forward, standing chest to chest with the Petrova doppelganger, "I forgot everything you did to hurt me and didn't care. But that only works when it's about me. The minute you crossed someone I love, you made your biggest mistake," She pointed her index finger at Katherine's chest and pushed her back with the tip of it, "If you ever hurt Lina again or even think about it, I will fucking kill you."

She recognized the stunned look on Katherine's face. She knew it wasn't fear, but just the surprise in her eyes as her back collided with the wall was enough reaction.

✵ ✵ ✵

Katherine unlocked the safe and let Elena out. Not out of the goodness in her dark heart just to scar her for life. Charlotte was not surprised, just barely amused. Damon came up with one of his genius plans and took Matt as bait. It worked. She thought she killed him and it scared her enough to turn her emotions back on.

She stood now in front of Elena with her humanity back on. Somehow all the words she had earlier left her. That wasn't the heartless girl who spent the past few days making her life a living hell. That was Elena. Real Elena. The Elena who had her back since the moment she met her. The Elena who treated her like a sister when she was scared of her own shadow.

That same Elena who killed Kol Mikaelson. Or orchestrated it.

And even though she knew the pain of losing a sibling and how you never actually recover from it. Standing there in front of her, she didn't know how to forgive and forget. It felt like stabbing Kol in the back. And he didn't deserve that. Not from her. Not after everything he did for her.

It wasn't a choose Elena and betray Kol type of thing. It was a forgive Elena and give her the chance to hurt you like that again, type of thing. And as naive as Charlotte is—her heart wasn't big enough to take that many hits.

She didn't know how to move on from this. And part of her didn't want to.

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes before Charlotte mumbled, "Welcome back." She then walked past Elena and the Salvatores and straight upstairs.

✵ ✵ ✵