Empath ‣ Klaus Mikaelson [1]

Five

Talia woke up early the next morning and filled out that job application. Despite hating Katherine so much, she needed a job.

After hesitantly filling out the packet and dropping it off, she walked to Caroline's place to help Sheriff Liz move some boxes.

"Hey, sweetie," Liz greeted, moving some boxes. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Talia responded, helping move some boxes. 

"Yeah." Then Caroline strutted in.

"Are you off today?" Caroline asked her mother.

"The Historical Society Volunteer Picnic is today," Liz pointed out. "You're the one who signed me up."

"I know," she said. "I just assumed you'd bail."

"No. I'm going to spend the whole day with my daughters."

"You're gonna pretend to be a mother?"

"I'll bring my gun if it gets rough. Come on, give me one day. I've been buried in work mode, I've barely seen you two."

"Well be warned. I'm in a mood."

"Goody for me. What was Elena doing here so late last night?"

"Elena wasn't...yes um...Elena was here. She just needed to talk. She and Stefan are going through a rough patch."

"Is everything okay with you?"

"I'm fine."

"It's just lately you seem different."

"I'm not different, I'm fine."

"I know you think I don't notice these things but I do. What's going on with you?"

"You know there's pretending to be a mother and then there's reality. Let's not push our luck, okay?"

Liz sighed angrily and paced around the living room after Caroline left angrily.

Talia, awkwardly standing in the doorway with a whole pot of coffee, murmured, "Coffee?"

"No thanks," Liz responded. "Come and get me when you're ready to go."

"Alright." She poured herself a rather large amount of coffee into a tumbler and gulped some down, getting ready for the day. She volunteered with Caroline for one of the crazy Miss Mystic Falls volunteer projects because they needed some sisterly bonding time.

***

As Talia was painting the gazebo, she listened to Elena and Caroline conversing.

"So suddenly, she's in the running for Mother of the Year just when I'm trying to avoid her most!" Caroline exclaimed, looking at Elena who seemed unfazed by the story. "I'm babbling. You don't want to hear all this."

"No, sorry," Elena murmured. "Then what happened?"

"Well, I was a bitch, but it's part of the process. So, how are things between you and Stefan? Anything?"

"No. Not since the fight." She sighed. "He's been pushing me away because he thinks that Katherine might get jealous enough to hurt me. I just don't know how to change his mind."

Talia walked over after finishing her part and sat down. 

"I'm listening," Talia said. "Spill all your girly romance problems."

"You said that Katherine's dangerous," Caroline interjected. "Maybe he's got a point."

Talia refrained from rolling her eyes, but couldn't help cringing internally. Elena was being dishonest and she knew because the guilt practically rolled out of her body like waves.