The city of love (kelena fan fiction)

Chapter 5: love

Katherine stirred next to her, propping herself up on one elbow to look down on the girl. She knew this question would come, but she hadn't expected it to come so soon. The vampire had only just admitted her feelings, which wasn't easy for her to do. Now Elena expected her to reveal everything.

Could she do it? Of course, she had to, but how? Should she skip the parts she couldn't say, or should she just push through it and tell Elena the whole story? Katherine knew their relationship would go nowhere if she continued to lie, but it was still difficult for her.

"Katherine?" Elena asked, too much time had gone by since the last time Katherine spoke. Something was wrong.

The vampire remained silent, it was too hard for her to speak. It would mean confessing everything. All the things she'd hoped she'd never have to explain, now was the time. It was now or never. If she refused to say anything she would lose Elena's trust.

As she felt Elena's hand softly caressing her cheek she was pulled back into reality. Her train of thought took a completely new course as she looked into the girl's pleading brown eyes that looked so similar to her own. Their faces were now inches apart, and Katherine's skin prickled with delight from their contact.

"Tell me," her words were quietly spoken, trying to ease the vampire into talking.

"Fine," Katherine replied after a sigh.

Elena had been walking home, her hair pulled into a ponytail high on the back of her head. The vampire had been watching from far behind. In truth, she'd always kept an eye on the girl, making sure she didn't get into too much trouble. Unfortunately, she couldn't interfere. The Salvatores made that impossible. She unconsciously let her eyes scan Elena's body, taking in every detail of the girl's beautiful figure.

Her mind went to places that had her biting her lips. Deliciously naughty thoughts went through her mind. Of course, she couldn't do any of those things with Elena. The girl was too focused on her precious Salvatores for that to happen. Just as if her thoughts had summoned them, Stefan walked up to Elena from the sidewalk.

Katherine had seen him give himself over to Klaus, and had heard how his humanity had been taken. She expected it to make him more of a good time, but she realized she couldn't be more wrong. The vampire thanked her supernatural senses and listened to the conversation going on between them.

"Elena, I'm supposed to protect you. How am I supposed to do that if you won't stay in my sight?" Stefan asked, but there was cruel amusement in his voice. He didn't love her, not without his humanity. It was obvious he was trying to make her suffer.

"Damon can protect me," the girl retorted, "I don't need you, Stefan."

Even from such distance Katherine could see the younger Salvatore's expression change. His playful, teasing demeanor changed to pure rage. Stefan seemed to almost say something but Elena pushed past him to continue her walk home. Katherine continued to follow Elena, and for several more minutes, all seemed quiet.

Stefan appeared in front of her, the veins prominent under his crimson eyes. Elena staggered back several steps before taking a deep breath and standing strongly to face him. Her muscles were rigid, but somehow she managed to stand up to him.

"What do you want, Stefan?"

"I'm hungry," he stated simply, "and since you're the walking blood bag I don't think Klaus would mind if I took a drink."

The girl turned to run, but he appeared in front of her again. Stefan grabbed her harshly by the shoulders, bruising her beautiful skin. Katherine heard Elena's scream as his fangs sank into her neck. Blood ran down her body as he fed from her.

Katherine fought her inner turmoil. The vampire knew she couldn't simply save the girl. It would look suspicious, but she had to do something. She couldn't just stand there and watch him handle her like she was nothing. For mere moments more she watched, and saw Elena's eyelids flutter shut. Katherine knew she was losing too much blood.

Katherine sped behind Stefan and snapped his neck, watching him fall to the ground. She knelt next to Elena and listened to the faint sound of her heartbeat. She was alive, but barely. Quickly, the vampire bit into the flesh of her wrist and forced it against the girl's mouth. She stayed that way until she knew Elena had several gulps of vampire blood in her system.

Something was wrong, utterly wrong. The girl hadn't woken up. The vampire blood had healed her wounds, but she remained unconscious. Katherine frantically put her head against Elena's chest, feeling the thump of her heart through her flesh. It was strong and steady, like a drum, but why hadn't she woken up?

A groan came from Stefan's throat as he began to wake. The vampire knew she couldn't let Elena stay in Mystic Falls, not while Stefan had nearly killed her. She wouldn't let it happen. She wouldn't let Elena die. Katherine carefully put her arms around her and held her gently, with the girl's head resting against her chest.

Her legs carried them away from Mystic Falls as fast as she could go. Katherine ran to a dock several towns away, where an old friend would help her. He drove the boat while she stayed in the cabin with Elena. Everyday on their voyage she would sit at Elena's bedside, constantly checking for a pulse and a heartbeat. She fed Elena her blood everyday.

One night Elena began to groan in her sleep. She tossed and turned, gripping the sheets beneath her so hard her knuckles had turned white. A single tear fell from her eye. Katherine couldn't bear to see her in pain. She moved to lie on the bed next to her doppelganger.

After another turn Elena's head landed on her chest with a thud. For a moment, Katherine was worried that she'd hurt herself, but the girl's muscles seemed to relax. She curled up against the vampire's side and rested her hand on Katherine's stomach.

She tensed, Katherine hadn't seen such affection from anyone for over five centuries. Tentatively, she wrapped her arms around Elena. Her breathing became deep and her heart returned to its steady rhythm. Their bodies were pressed together, Elena unconsciously seeking protection from the vampire. Katherine fell asleep peacefully next to Elena, and when she woke the girl's condition hadn't changed. She was still unconscious, but also clinging to her. Katherine refused to move the rest of the voyage. Only when they finally arrived in Paris did she pull herself from Elena's grasp.

When they finally arrived at the mansion Katherine had compelled for them she had instantly laid Elena on the bed and moved to be beside her. Their closeness seemed to bring peace to both of them, no matter how much Katherine tried to deny it. Her heart, were it still beating, would have lept with joy every time Elena's head rested upon her chest.

The night before Elena woke, she'd heard the girl's heartbeat quicken to the pace of someone awake, and she knew their tender moments would come to an end, but the girl would not remember. All the moments they shared would be lost, only bringing a sense of false hope to Katherine that someday she may remember. When Katherine had seen Elena descend the stairs she wanted to hold the girl in her arms and tell her how much she loved her, but she couldn't.

Katherine watched the girl's eyes as they filled with tears. They each gazed into the other's identical eyes, sharing a moment together. Katherine felt Elena's hand travel down to take her own hand and intertwine their fingers. They grasped onto the other as if they would drift away like leaves in a gentle breeze.

"You saved me," Elena managed to say, "You saved my life."

"Yes."

"You took care of me."

"Yes."

"Why?" the girl's voice nearly cracked, "Why did you do it?"

No words were needed for Katherine's answer. She pressed their lips together for a gentle kiss. Elena immediately responded, helping to mold their lips together. When the two finally pulled away from the kiss their hands never left one another's and their bodies remained pressed together. Elena's head was on her chest and Katherine's arms were around her, as they had been almost every night since they arrived in Paris.

"I love you, Katherine," Elena smiled as she closed her eyes.

Katherine placed a gentle kiss to the girl's hair, resting her cheek against the top of her head and shutting her eyes.

"I love you, too."